“I’m a killer, a shark”: CJ McCollum references Lakers legend Kobe Bryant while talking about his mentality while hitting game-winner for Blazers vs Raptors

Raahib Singh
|Published January 12, 2021

Blazers’ star CJ McCollum’s presser reminds us of an article by Kobe Bryant – ‘Obsession is Natural’ on Allen Iverson.

The Portland Trailblazers improved their record to 6-4, as they edged a 112-111 win over the Raptors. CJ McCollum sunk a final shot over Fred VanVleet to complete a comeback victory.

The Raptors blew a 17-point lead to lose their second straight game by just a 1 point differential. They now have a 2-8 record, which puts them at the 14th spot in the East.

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Even though the Raptors had 6 players in double digits, and shot over 40% from the deep, the lack of a strong presence at the center position hurt them. The Blazers, led by CJ McCollum’s 30 points, also had important contributions from Damian Lillard and Carmelo Anthony. Anthony scored 13 of his 20 points in the 4th quarter.

“I’m a killer… That’s what best describes me”: CJ McCollum

CJ McCollum has been the leader for the Portland Trailblazers this season. CJ has been averaging 28.1 points(3rd in the league), while shooting 44.5% from the deep. In his post-game press conference, CJ talked about his mentality and how he took over to lead the team to the win.

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This interview by CJ reminds us of the time Kobe wrote ‘Obsession is Natural’. He talks about how his obsession with Allen Iverson and beating him led him to find out about how the great white sharks hunt seals off the coast of South Africa.

Kobe talks about his mentality for taking on any matchup. While Kobe was obsessed with besting his opponent in any situation, CJ’s statement leads us to believe for him winning is the primary motive.


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About the author

Raahib Singh

Raahib Singh

Raahib Singh is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. A Computer Science Engineer by qualification, Raahib's passion for sports drew him toward TSR. He started playing basketball when he was 14, and fell in love with the sport ever since. His interest in the NBA developed at the same time as when Stephen Curry put the entire league on notice. Raahib was spellbound by Steph and the Warriors and has been a fan since. From starting off as a Warriors fan, Raahib has evolved into someone who can never miss a good game of basketball. He converts his love for the game and the knowledge he has gained into the articles he writes. In his spare time, he enjoys cricket, going for walks, and murder mysteries.

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