Yahoo’s is in conversation with guard
about how being a father helps the veteran relate to his younger teammates, what success looks like for the Pels this upcoming season and what brings to the court when he’s healthy. Plus, CJ is teaming up with to prevent blowouts …not on the basketball court, but the one in your baby’s diaper!
Video Transcript
[HIP HOP BEATS]
This is Yahoo Sports. My name is Dan Devine and I’m joined now by a truly esteemed guest, 10-year NBA veteran, decorated broadcaster, wine impresario, and, relevant to this conversation, a parent. Ladies and gentlemen, from the New Orleans Pelicans, it is CJ McCollum. CJ, thanks for making some time for us today.
CJ MCCOLLUM: No problem. Thank you for having me. Great introduction.
DAN DEVINE: We’re talking a lot about young people today. According to Real GM, your Pelicans have the 11th youngest roster in the league in terms of average age. You are a vet. You are somebody that’s 10 years in the league. Has becoming a parent and being involved in that, has that changed at all the way that you relate to your teammates? Do you find a little bit harder to relate to some of the younger ones? Does it inform the way you relate with your younger ones?
CJ MCCOLLUM: I think combo. Some of them just I’m never going to understand because they’re like 2005 babies. And some of them definitely need a stroller. But I think it’s both. I can have empathy because I’m a parent, and they’re young, 18, 19, 20, 21, in that range. We have a guy who can’t drink and then we got some guys who just became legally of age where I could even gift them wine.
But their experiences are different. What they like is different. Their free time, how much they can work out, lack of playing time, the things that they’re going through, I can empathize. I have empathy because I understand what it’s like to be a young player in the league and not play. I know what it’s like to play a lot. And I know what it’s like to be a father and have other things you have to balance.
So I have empathy for them. And I think I can give pretty good advice, because they might ask me what it’s like to be a father, how do I split my time? And I can kind of explain it to them, but then I just tell them really take your time, because it’s a different life. You have to really be selfless. And I think it’s important for us to go through the stages of being selfish before you really dedicate yourself towards something like that.
DAN DEVINE: Given the highs and lows of even a season like last season, I’m wondering what constitutes success for you and for the Pelicans this season? How big are you dreaming as you head into the season right now?
CJ MCCOLLUM: That’s a good question. I think success for us will be maximizing our talent. Maximize our talent means practicing hard every day, executing, watching film, doing the small things collectively. Going out together on the road, going out to eat, doing those things to really bond and give ourselves the best chance of success on the court. And then for that, I would say home game in the playoffs, right? Being able to host playoff games in New Orleans is a sign that we’re doing things the right way. It’s a sign that we won the games we were supposed to win, stole some games on the road, and really put together a special season.
DAN DEVINE: Important part of that, obviously, is getting you and Zion and BI on the floor together. I’m sure the numbers by heart by now. 172 minutes over the course of 10 games over the course of a couple of seasons, you guys, that’s all you’ve had together. But you’ve been hell on wheels in those 172 minutes. Plus-60, offense through the roof, defense off the charts. What can you take from the experience you’ve had in those small sample sizes and how do you hope to carry that into a larger, hopefully, opportunity this season?
CJ MCCOLLUM: I think it shows we can be really good when we do things the right way and when we’re healthy. I think it also shows we have room for growth because we haven’t played a lot of games together. So practice matters, walk-through matters, dry offense, all those things are important because we need to see where guys like to exist at and what spaces they like to thrive in. And I think we’re heading in a really, really good direction this season.
DAN DEVINE: You’re here today. You’re partnering with Pampers, too. And I’m going to read the quote because it’s important. Quote, “Share your blowout stories to help shed light on the issue.” So let’s hear it, CJ. I know you’ve got a young son named Jacobi. What is the worst blowout experience that you have had with Jacobi?
CJ MCCOLLUM: Two. Two blowout experiences that were terrible. Well, more than two, but I’ll give you two. There is a newborn situation where we were doing a photo shoot in the house. Newborn shoot, baby’s pretty fresh. Put the diaper on him. Shirt’s off trying to show the rolls and all the things that you want to show on a baby, and he just pooped through his diaper right down my shirt. I had to do a shirt change. Obviously, there’s pictures of it that we still have to this day. I should probably get it framed, now that I think about it. So maybe I’ll go to the archives and get it framed and put it on the wall and show him like, this is what you did to me when you were young.
And the other story, we were traveling on a flight. He was in a onesie. Just pooped through the diaper, through the onesie. It was a travel nightmare. And then you got to try to change it, but they don’t really want to be changed. They’re kicking and moving.
It’s important that you just let people out there know that Pampers Swaddlers protects up to 100% of leaks and blowouts. And I think that is very, very important for first-time, second-time fathers and mothers out there.
DAN DEVINE: CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans. Best of luck this season. Thank you so much for taking some time for us here on Yahoo Sports.
CJ MCCOLLUM: Thank you for having me.