Import Report: McGee signing no Hawks gimmick

• Three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee signed a one-year deal with the Illawarra Hawks
• McGee is currently playing in Puerto Rico for Vaqueros De Bayamon
• He also won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Games

Every year, it seems the NBL manages to snag one high-profile NBA veteran. Last year, it was Montrezl Harrell, the year before Tyler Johnson.

Be it Aaron Brooks, Al Harrington, Steve Blake or Johnny Flynn, it’s not unprecedented for former big names or lottery picks to find themselves competing in the NBL, but it has been a trend NBL teams have veered away from in recent years.

That’s why at first glance the Illawarra Hawks’ signing of a 37-year-old JaVale McGee appears to fly in the face of teams' current preference to sign younger and younger imports. For many broader NBA fans, his name association with Shaqtin' a Fool may make him feel like a novelty signing, but beyond the perhaps unfair mockery lies a player whose career has persisted into old age thanks to a remarkable resilience and refinement over time.

Looking past the name value, what is the league getting in McGee, and what exactly are the Illawarra Hawks getting in their new starting centre?

NBA CAREER

When JaVale McGee entered the NBA in 2008, he joined one of the most dysfunctional locker rooms in NBA history. Gilbert Arenas, Nick Young, Javaris Crittenton, Andray Blatche, and Deshawn Stevenson are only a portion of the characters initiating McGee into the league. The aforementioned cast were guilty of poor decision-making and wasted potential on and off the hardwood in equal measure, and as part of an abysmal 19-63 record team. McGee's, at times, erratic performances and decision-making in spite of his remarkable physical attributes made him an easy name to tar with the same brush.

Once he was traded from the Wizards in 2011, his career started to find its feet. His role was refined, he bought in, and matured in the presence of more positive veterans. It eventually became evident that, despite the occasional rush of adrenaline causing him to explore beyond his skillset and end up on a blooper reel, McGee was an impactful player and positive locker room presence.

Ironically, it was the way he called out Shaquille O’Neal for his continued targeting of him on Shaqtin' a Fool that felt like a tipping point for his public reputation. As his career continued, McGee would go on to win three NBA championships — two with the Golden State Warriors and one with the LA Lakers.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, commenting on McGee’s reputation after having coached him first hand, said “I can tell you, I had a preconceived notion of JaVale before he got here that turned out to be totally false and a lot of that was because of what goes on with Shaq’s ‘Shaqtin’ A Fool’ thing".

McGee’s NBA career persisted until the end of the 2023-24 season with the Sacramento Kings. With 16 years of NBA service under his belt, he went from a mocked young prospect to highly respected veteran, outlasting most of his contemporaries.

PUERTO RICO

In McGee’s only basketball destination since his departure from the NBA, he joined the Puerto Rican BSN, where he plays for Vaqueros De Bayamon. A destination full of NBL talent, McGee’s presence in the league made him an accessible target for NBL teams, and has also provided a great reference point for his current ability to contribute.

Statistically, McGee has been impressive relative to his frontcourt peers. His averages of 17.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game make him one of the most productive big men in the league, and his 1.6 blocks a game make him the third most prolific rim protector in the league.

In fact, McGee and the Brisbane Bullets'Much like his NBA career, McGee won’t score in the post at a high level or be a guy to consistently run offence out of, but his physical attributes remain outstanding to this day, and at seven feet, he should maintain his exceptional effectiveness running the floor and playing in the dunker's spot.league'sfor Tyrell Harrison (playing for Indios De Mayaguez), who we’re well acquainted with, have been two of the league’s most productive big men all season, and their productivity was relatively comparable.

While team roles and skill-sets do differ, the fact that McGee was able to largely replicate the productivity of what Harrison, one of the NBL’s best local bigs achieved on the floor, indicates that McGee still has what it takes to be a significant contributor.

Much like his NBA career, McGee won’t score in the post at a high level or be a guy to consistently run offense out of, but his physical attributes remain outstanding to this day, and at seven foot, he should maintain his exceptional effectiveness running the floor and playing in the dunkers spot.

McGee matched up with Harrison on March 23, and his 31-point performance demonstrated some areas where he is able to impact scoring outside of his known NBA role as a rim runner. On numerous plays, McGee was given the green light to attack Harrison on an island, and starting at the top of the key, the sagging defensive coverage gave him the opportunity to attack downhill and use his relative speed and coordination to finish time and time again.

The other dominant quality that should translate to the NBL is McGee’s rim protection. Over his 16-year NBA career, McGee averaged 3.1 blocks per 36 minutes, and his mobility, length and instincts helped him disrupt a lot of forays into the paint. While he’s not the athlete that he was in his prime, he’s still a unique specimen for NBL standards, and he should simultaneously be able to matchup with the league’s bigger bodies whilst deterring paint touches for the leagues many scoring guards, helping compensate for guards like Tyler Harvey’s potential struggles to contain the perimeter.

With McGee’s signing, the Hawks have seemingly conceded, or at least decided to build with the assumption that Sam Froling will be out for a substantial period of the 2025-26 season. McGee’s game in no way appears compatible with Froling's — both straight five men with limited floor spacing, ball-handling, defensive versatility or playmaking. Indeed one of the biggest rotational questions for the Hawks may be who Justin Tatum wants to pair at the four during McGee’s minutes — be it the size of Jonah Bolden or Harry Froling, or a smaller forward option like Todd Blanchfield or Dan Grida, it feels like shooting at that position next to McGee would be a high priority.

With the absence of Froling and the departure of Trey Kell, Hyungjung Lee, Lachlan Olbrich and Darius Days, if the Hawks are going to go back-to-back, they’re going to be doing so playing a very different brand of basketball.Lachlan Olbrich and Darius Days, if the Hawks are going to go back to back, they’re going to be doing so playing a very different brand of basketball.

McGee’s size and skill set are a rare commodity for the NBL, and all signs point to the big man still having plenty to give as a professional in spite of his age. There may be some juice to take advantage of other NBL bigs as a scorer in flashes, but don’t expect him to solve all of Illawarra’s absent firepower — he’s not a creator or offensive hub, and the Hawks are going to need to find that on the perimeter; be it with some impressive new signings or even added opportunity to players like Davo Hickey. But if they can fill out the rest of their key roles with talented pieces, McGee projects to be an uber-role player in the NBL, and capable of providing highlights and impact in equal measure.

About the Author

Michael Houben is an Australian basketball writer and scout based in Melbourne, Victoria. As well as covering the game as a journalist, Michael supports US colleges to identify and recruit Australian talent as the owner of Airtime Scouting, and supports grassroots athletes through Airtime Basketball.