Errick McCollum talks about his brother CJ, his future in Karsiyaka / News - Basketnews.com

Errick McCollum, a veteran of European basketball playing for Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir, talked about his relationship with his brother C. J. McCollum, his career in Europe, and his future.

Credit: FIBA Media Credit FIBA Media

Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir's prolific scorer, Errick McCollum, has been an important presence in European basketball since 2010 when he first played in Israel.

Errick McCollum

MIN:25.9PTS:14.42 (53.61%)REB:2.5As:4.67ST:0.92BL:0.25TO:2.08GM:12ProfileBCL2023/2024

Since then, the guard has appeared in 11 different teams, with two seasons in the EuroLeague (2017-18 season with Anadolu Efes Istanbul and 2020-21 season with Khimki Moscow Region) and currently continues his career in Turkiye, aged 36.

In an interview for the FIBA Basketball Champions League, the veteran talked about his brother C. J. McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans, his future, and so on.

"Very often, you have two best friends, right? So I have my wife, and then I have my brother," he said. "We talk all the time, we stay in contact, we push each other, we motivate each other... It's always good to have someone who not only you're close to but kind of understands your path, what you sacrificed and everything you've been through. So, you know, it's invaluable," McCollum said about his brother.

"You, as an older brother, are just proud to see your younger brother continue to thrive, and it means that you did right," he continued. "And so, my goal was always to teach everything that I know and to make him a better man and hopefully a better player than me. I think he a better player. We are working on the man part, but..." he said with laughter.

"I'm very proud of him, and I love him to death."

"I think it's been like a rollercoaster. In Europe, you have to prove everything, especially when you come from a small college, and you don't come from the NBA. You kind of work for everything; you get it out the mud," explained McCollum.

"I think for a lot of young players, it can be deterring just because you feel like you give so much to the game and that the early parts of your career give you so little, but if you stick it through, you keep working," he said for the young players. "You take an interest not just in the game of basketball but in the style of play and fully embrace the culture and where you're at. I think you maximize your experience."

C.J. McCollum

Team:New Orleans PelicansPosition:PG, SGAge:32Height:191 cmWeight:89 kgBirth place:Canton, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

Once you get adjusted, once you get used to being away from America or wherever you're from, and once you just accept, 'Okay, I'm here, this is different, I'm going to give it a chance, I'm [going to] be open-minded' and then just pull yourself into your craft, I think that's when you reap the reward," he stated.

"So, for me, the early part was hard. The opportunities were limited. But as I proved myself, as I continued to fight, I was able to get the jobs that I wanted or, have the career that I envisioned, have the roles on teams that I wanted. It took work; it took time," the guard talked about how he made it up the career ladder.

Although he has had an illustrious career, McCollum also acknowledges that he is not as young as he once was and that he cannot maintain a professional career forever.

"I paid my dues, but now I'm kind of on that part of the rollercoaster where it's winding down. I reached my peak, and everything was good. I still play at a high level, and I still enjoy the game, but you know, I'm 36 years old, so now I'm just enjoying the last ride," he said.

"At the end of the day, I got more from basketball than I ever thought I would get, so I'm thankful. It paid for my college, [took] care of my family, everything... Had a lot of friendships, a lot of relationships, and I got to see the world, so that's a blessing," he concluded the subject with gratitude.

As mentioned numerous times, McCollum is a veteran of European basketball. How much has his mindset over the years revolved as he grew in age and became the experienced player he is today?

"As you get older, your dynamic shifts. When you're young, you just focus on yourself. As you get older, you start to notice things: when somebody's down, when somebody's facing something, and then you see yourself and some younger players, you want to help lift them up," explained McCollum.

"As a vet, I feel like it's my responsibility to help them maximize their experience overseas, so sometimes they'll probably be upset with me or tired of me telling them something over and over again, but it's only because I care, and I see something in you," he continued.

"If I don't see nothing, I wouldn't waste my breath. So, that's my job as a vet: to help you grow, and I pray that when their time comes, and [they become] vets that they help those young players who come up next as well."

Being a Karsiyaka player since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, McCollum feels a commitment to the team, its fans, and the city and sees his future there.

"I think the most important thing is that we continue to improve and stick together. There's always going to be hard times in the season, and I think if we do that, you know we can achieve our goals," said about the Karsiyaka season. "We have our destiny in our own hands. It's going to be tough, but the ball's on our court."

When Karsiyaka is mentioned, players often praise the atmosphere that is created by devoted fans in Izmir. McCollum is no exception to this.

"With our home court, with our fans, we feel like we can beat anyone. They're passionate. The way they cheer for you," the guard said. "They're always at the games, and I know it's tough sometimes; the games are late: the Champions League games are at 8:30 for us. People have school, they're on the weekday, people have work, but they come out, and they support us always."

Even when we struggle, the ups and downs, their passion. They feel those losses, they feel those wins, so I really like that," he continued. "I enjoy the culture, the people… In Turkiye, if you show love, they show you love back, and I think that's what they've done for my family, so we just continue to embrace it," McCollum stated, reminiscing his years with Galatasaray EKMAS Istanbul in the mid-2010s.

"We love it here. I always told my wife that towards the end of my career, I would come back because we enjoyed it so much. The plan is to finish here," he revealed. "Who knows how many years that will be, it's a business at the end of the day, but the plan is to finish in Turkiye. I hope it's Karsiyaka, I hope it's Izmir, but you know, some things are beyond my power," he concluded.

Despite his advanced age, McCollum is still a threat to be reckoned with, as he is averaging 18.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game in the Basketball Champions League.

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