Veteran guard CJ McCollum likely made “Jennifer” proud on Monday night when he almost singlehandedly guided the Atlanta Hawks to a 107-106 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
The “Jennifer” in question is Jennifer Williams, an avid Golden State Warriors fan who inadvertently sparked a legendary meme during the 2018 offseason.
In August 2018, McCollum, then a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, was highly critical of NBA star players for joining “superteams” to chase rings, calling it a “disgusting” tactic. McCollum even said he was “brought up differently” and would never take shortcuts to try to win a championship.
Jennifer chimed in with the following tweet:
“Win a playoff game then talk.”
Rather than getting defensive, McCollum offered a hilarious response:
“I’m trying Jennifer.”
After his terrific 32-point performance on Monday, the NBA on NBC Instagram account sent out a very apt message.
CJ McCollum: Who is Jennifer?
The saga involving McCollum and Jennifer didn’t end after a few Twitter exchanges. During the 2019 NBA playoffs, McCollum proved himself by leading the Blazers to the Western Conference Finals, winning eight playoff games.
Before Game 2 of the Warriors vs. Blazers series that year, ESPN arranged a surprise meeting between McCollum and Jennifer, which ended with a warm embrace.
“I’m still trying!” McCollum reiterated when he met her.
CJ McCollum: New Knicks Villain?
McCollum produced one of the best clutch performances of his career on Monday, making three crucial buckets in the final 2:08 of the fourth quarter, including a go-ahead step-back jumper with 34 seconds left, to cap off Atlanta’s win.
The usually mild-mannered guard even received a technical foul for getting into a verbal exchange with Knicks guard Jose Alvarado, a sequence that prompted loud boos and expletive-laced chants from the fiery MSG crowd.
After the game, McCollum was asked whether he had embraced the role of a “villain” after breaking the hearts of Knicks fans.
“I’m no villain, I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife,” McCollum responded.
“I think it’s admiration. Great, passionate fans in a hostile environment. It’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs. If anything, I think it’s a sign of respect.”
CJ McCollum speaks with Jordan Cornette after his 32 point night at MSG.
McCollum admitted that the MSG atmosphere fired him up down the stretch.
“When the buzzer sounds and it’s quiet and you walk off the court, there’s a level of mutual respect,” McCollum said.
“I’ve been to games in the Garden as a fan … I’ve seen playoff games here. It’s a pleasure to be able to play here. A pleasure to walk off the court with a win.”
The Knicks were up 100-92 with five minutes left in the game, after being up at least 14 points in the third quarter. Yet they suffered a heartbreaking loss, courtesy of McCollum’s heroics. The tied series will now shift to Atlanta for Game 3 on Thursday.
Viral CJ McCollum Controversy Resurfaces After Hawks vs Knicks Game