After averaging just 5.3 and then 6.8 points per game in his first two seasons in the NBA, Portland Trail Blazers star CJ McCollum has emerged as one of the best combo guards in the Association over the past two years.

Winning the 2015-2016 Most Improved Player award after he averaged 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists over 34.8 minutes per contest, McCollum followed his breakout campaign with another stellar season this past year, putting up 23.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists over 35.0 minutes per game.

Very quietly, McCollum has established himself as one of the best shooters in the Association, going 197-for-472 (41.7 percent) from three-point range in 2015-2016 and 185-for-439 (42.1 percent) from deep in 2016-2017. He also converted 91.2 percent of his free throw attempts this past season.

While McCollum is recognized as a deadly force on offense, part of his game that has flown under the radar has been his general tenacity on both ends of the floor.

In fact, the former Lehigh University standout logged 206.9 miles on the court last season, which beat out Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins as the furthest distance traveled of any player in the league.

Interestingly, McCollum also led the league in the same category last season, and teammate Damian Lillard led the Association in 2014-2015. The statistic is clearly based on the role that the player assumes on the court as well as total minutes played, but it’s no coincidence that McCollum has made the most of every minute that he’s been on the court since he emerged as a major piece of Portland’s future.

After all, he played just 12.5 minutes per game during his rookie year and then 15.7 in his second campaign as a pro.

His all-out effort helped land him a four-year, $106 million extension that he signed last summer. To say he earned it would be an understatement. Logging that many miles proves it.

McCollum has stayed relatively quiet so far this offseason, but did offer his thoughts on the Golden State Warriors. Appearing on the HoopsHype Podcast with Alex Kennedy a couple weeks ago, McCollum stated that he thought the Warriors were unfairly criticized for adding Kevin Durant to an historic 73-win roster from the previous year:

"No, no, I think that's garbage, man," McCollum said of the general notion the Warriors are bad for the NBA. "I think they've done things the right way. It's not like they cheated. They drafted well. They developed players within. Steph, Klay, Draymond, those players were drafted. And then they bring in an outsider in KD, who was a free agent, had every right to sign with whatever team he wanted.”

Since the Western Conference has gained an immense amount of talent so far this offseason, McCollum will have to put up outstanding numbers if he expects to make his first All-Star team in the coming year. Further, the Blazers will need to give him and Lillard another viable weapon if they plan on challenging the aforementioned Warriors.

Nonetheless, 206.9 miles is no joke, and McCollum will presumably continue to make the most of every minute on the court for as long as he’s in the league.