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Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum: ‘I’m healthy’

C.J. McCollum

Injured Lehigh guard C.J. McCollum talks to players during warm ups before an NCAA college basketball game against Lafayette on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, at Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa. (AP Photo/The Express-Times, Matt Smith)

AP

C.J. McCollum, Lehigh’s high-scoring senior guard, was expected to be one of the nation’s most talked about players this season. He was. Until a broken foot days after the start of the New Year ended his storied collegiate career.
McCollum broke his foot in the first half of a game against VCU on Jan. 5. It’s now April, just over two months before the NBA Draft and McColllum wants to assure the basketball world, general managers especially, that he back to form.

“Teams, from what I’ve heard, are pretty positive about me,” McCollum told Nicole Auerbach of USA Today. “The biggest thing is they just want to see me healthy. I’m healthy. My X-rays are very, very beautiful. I think that’s just the biggest thing; they want to make sure my foot is OK.”

The 6-foot-3 senior guard was averaging 23.9 points and five rebounds per game in his 12-game season. Currently, DraftExpress.com has McCollum is predicted to go 15th overall. Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo, Trey Burke and Michael Carter-Williams are listed as guards a head of McCollum.

Auerbach reports that McCollum was able to begin on court exercises after getting his boot on his left foot removed in the middle of March. It wasn’t until last week when McCollum began full-speed drills. Following a drive to the hoop against VCU on Jan. 5, McCollum fractured his fifth metatarsal.

“My draft stock is still pretty good right now,” McCollum told USA Today. “It’ll be better when I get back on the court and show teams that the injury hasn’t fazed me, and I’ve actually gotten stronger and improved aspects of my game.

“I think all the other guys who have had this injury have exceeded expectations after the injury, and I think I’ll be in a similar position to do so as well.”

Terrence is also the lead writer at NEHoopNews.com and can be followed on Twitter: @terrence_payne