Playoff Leadership: CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum has never been at the center of the basketball world.
He went to college at Lehigh, a Patriot League school in Bethlehem, PA.
He spent nine years in Portland as Damian Lillard's running mate — great second option, not his show. He could’ve been a leading scorer elsewhere, but he never pushed for it, even when he was in trade rumors. CJ played his role, got better, and earned respect around the league, serving as president of the players’ union from 2021-25.
McCollum was traded in 2022 to New Orleans, then in 2025 to Washington. The veteran-on-a-rebuilding-team phase that signals the twilight of a career. Still, he kept showing up, teaching winning habits.
In January, Atlanta called. The Hawks were trading Trae Young (offensive superstar and defensive sieve), and McCollum came back in the deal. Far from a headline, he was “good enough” and made the salary math work.
The Hawks went 19-5 after All-Star. McCollum’s teammates blossomed: Jalen Johnson became an All-Star, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will likely win Most Improved Player. The team went from play-in purgatory to a 6-seed and a genuine identity — fast, egalitarian, connected.
McCollum facilitated this change by being the right player, not the best one. He slotted in at point guard and the team became less one-man-show, more ensemble. And last night, down 1-0 to the Knicks in a tight 4th quarter, McCollum hit big shots and pulled the team over the finish line to even the series.
The comparison: Bob Iger.
Iger started at ABC as a studio errand boy. He worked his way up for decades to become a steady, competent COO under Michael Eisner, Disney's more volatile, more famous leader. Iger was good enough to run the company… and patient enough to wait.
When Iger finally took the reins, the organization exhaled. Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm acquisitions were transformative, but none required him to be the loudest person in the room. He created conditions for the genius of others to flourish inside Disney. When he retired, things drifted. And when he came back, things stabilized. The pattern demonstrates what his presence provides.
The leadership archetype: The Trusted Veteran. The person the room trusts most. Their value is accumulated over hard-won reps. Every quiet moment of professionalism deposits credits into an account that becomes a valuable asset on the right team.
The trade-off: the Trusted Veteran's magic is context-dependent. On the wrong team, they look like a solid player, but they won’t drive a 60-win team on their own. The value is in the fit. For that reason, they're undervalued by people who evaluate talent alone.
If this is your style: your career might look like a zig-zag of roles where you were useful and respected, even if slightly underestimated. That’s your portfolio. And the moment that needs exactly what you've built may be coming. But keep your eyes peeled; it might already be here.
