Report: C.J. McCollum shut down teammate in middle of inspirational speech
The Trail Blazers are looking for answers, just not from Festus Ezeli.
As reported by ESPN's Chris Haynes, the injured Ezeli tried to insert himself as an emotional leader for Portland on multiple occasions this season and was eventually shot down by shooting guard C.J. McCollum.
Haynes writes that Ezeli, who has yet to play a minute for Portland in the 2016-17 season, tried to give the team "stern" talks after a pair of tough losses and was stopped in his tracks.
"After suffering a challenging, 115-107 loss to Milwaukee, Ezeli, in street clothes, addressed the team in the locker room with a stern speech centered on playing with urgency, sources told ESPN. Then two games later, after a crushing defeat in Memphis, Ezeli once again started giving a team speech, but he was cut short.
McCollum interrupted Ezeli in midsentence and told him that was enough, sources told ESPN."
