Case Closed: McGee already the best player in the league

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NBA role player = NBL superstar. Three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee is Exhibit A, B, and C even aged 37 the NBA is about superstars and role players BUT its role players are still better than 99.9% of every hooper in the world.

McGee erased any doubt he wouldn't be a dominant force in NBL26 with a 32-point, 13-rebound double-double that included three blocks and two steals. He went 15-from-20 from the field in just under 31 minutes. To put that into perspective:

• McGee's NBA career: 16.1 MIN; 7.6 PTS; 5.0 REB; 1.4 BLK; 0.4 STL; and 58% FG
• McGee's NBL debut: 30:44 MIN; 32 PTS; 13 REB; 3 BLK; 2 STL; and 75% FG

It poses the question immediately, is JaVale McGee the best player in the NBL right now. His resume, his first game and: "JaVale played well," Illawarra Hawks head coach Justin Tatum said post game suggests he is.

Watch out when Tatum says he played "great!"

"He’s a 16–17-year NBA professional. He knows the pace of the game, how to pace his body, where his spots are," Tatum continued.

Those are All-NBL First Team numbers. The sample size is one game but it's not like McGee is going to regress physically in the 33 games between now and March.

NBL colour commentator and former Sydney Kings captain Brad Rosen helped call the game down in the 'Gong last night.

"I remember when I was playing for the Kings and I was captain at that stage and I had to pick up Acie Earl, who was her first round draft pick for the Boston Celtics and I just remember thinking what a different size and type of guy he is and it really made me realise what the NBA is all about," Rosen told basketball.com.au today.

"That’s what reminded me with McGee last night.

"His mobility, his passing and his read of the game was phenomenal.

"Once he gets his legs under him, he is going to be a massive force (although he already was last night).

"Also, his passing ability was phenomenal. You can see he’s been in the Warriors program that has Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and just to be able to see the court and pass was great."

All-NBL First Team member and new teammate Tyler Harvey can already see the potential for McGee to create opportunities for Illawarra on the offensive side of the ball.

"You read what the game presents," Harvey said.

"If he’s dominating inside, keep going there. It’s not about me or anyone getting shots — it’s about the highest-probability shot, and that’s pretty high.

"Teams will have to double him eventually; then other opportunities open up. I don’t care about my shots — I want to win.

"When a guy’s going like that, give him the ball."

McGee's 32 points was just one shy of his NBA career high of 33 in 2011. McGee has played more than 900 games in the NBA between 2008 and 2024.

The toughest part of his debut was the Tasmania JackJumpers spoiled the Illawarra Hawks' championship banner night 91-86 at WIN Entertainment Centre.

Bryce Cotton, anytime he plays, is an MVP favourite but his sixth Andrew Gaze trophy isn't a lock this year if McGee continues to roll the way he did on Saturday night.

JaVale McGee's NBL Debut Shot Chart

McGee has pedigree. His father is the 2.08m George Montgomery, who was a 1985 second-round draft selection by the Portland Trail Blazers. His mum, 1.91m Pamela McGee, who played for the University of Southern California with her twin sister, Paula, and Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller. They won back-to-back NCAA Division I championships, in 1983 and 1984. Pamela also won an Olympic Games gold medal in Los Angeles in 1984. JaVale is the first son of a WNBA player to play in the NBA. But wait, there's more. JaVale's younger half-sister, Imani McGee-Stafford, played for the Chicago Sky and the Atlanta Dream.

JaVale has an arm span of 7 ft 6.5 in (2.30m), which was the longest of any player while he was in the NBA. To put that into perspective he could touch the floor and the top of Rocco Zikarsky's head at the same time. Zikarsky is 2.2m tall.

JaVale McGee Career Profile

Name: JaVale Lindy McGee
Team: Sacramento Kings (last played, 2023–24 NBA season)
League: NBA
Season (Year): 2008–2024 (16 seasons)
Position / Jersey #: Center / #34 (varied across career)
Height / Weight: 7'0" (213cm) / 270lb (122kg)
Age / DOB: 37 (Born January 19, 1988, Flint, Michigan, USA)
Nationality: American
Accolades: 3× NBA Champion (2017, 2018 with Golden State; 2020 with LA Lakers)

Season Snapshot

A 16-year NBA veteran, McGee built a career as an athletic rim protector, lob-finisher, and spark-plug big man off the bench. Known for his size, length, and verticality, he provided valuable minutes as a backup centre for multiple playoff contenders, culminating in three championships.

Regular Season Stats (Career Averages)

Games: 909 │ Points: 7.6 │ Rebounds: 5.0 │ Assists: 0.4 │ Blocks: 1.4 │ FG%: 57.8 │ 3P%: 19.2 │ FT%: 60.4 │ PER: 19.6

Career Stats (Team Splits)

• Washington Wizards (2008–12): 255 GP │ 8.5 PTS │ 6.0 REB │ 1.8 BLK │ FG% 52.6
• Denver Nuggets (2012–15, 2021): 134 GP │ 8.3 PTS │ 4.7 REB │ 1.7 BLK │ FG% 56.7
• Golden State Warriors (2016–18): 142 GP │ 5.5 PTS │ 2.9 REB │ 0.9 BLK │ FG% 63.9
• Los Angeles Lakers (2018–20): 143 GP │ 9.4 PTS │ 6.7 REB │ 1.7 BLK │ FG% 62.8
• Phoenix Suns (2021–22): 74 GP │ 9.2 PTS │ 6.7 REB │ 1.1 BLK │ FG% 62.9
• Dallas Mavericks (2015–16, 2022–23): 76 GP │ 4.7 PTS │ 3.2 REB │ 0.7 BLK │ FG% 60.6
• Cleveland Cavaliers (2020–21): 33 GP │ 8.0 PTS │ 5.2 REB │ 1.2 BLK │ FG% 52.1
• Philadelphia 76ers (2014–15): 6 GP │ 3.0 PTS │ 2.2 REB │ FG% 44.4
• Sacramento Kings (2023–24): 46 GP │ 4.0 PTS │ 2.7 REB │ 0.4 BLK │ FG% 59.8

Team Performance

McGee’s greatest impact came with Golden State and Los Angeles Lakers, where he filled crucial rotation minutes in championship runs. With the Warriors, his efficiency and lob threat fit seamlessly into their up-tempo offense. With the Lakers, he started at centre during much of the 2019–20 "Bubble" championship season.

Player Contribution

• Strengths: Elite rim protection, lob finishing, energy off the bench, transition rim-running.
• Weaknesses: Limited offensive range, foul trouble, streaky free-throw shooter.
• Role: Backup centre, situational starter, championship-caliber role player.

Highlights

• 3× NBA Champion (GSW 2017, 2018; LAL 2020)
• 2011 NBA Dunk Contest participant
• Represented USA at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (Gold Medal as late replacement).
• Career-high 33 points (2011, Washington Wizards).

Performance Trends

• Early Career (Wizards/Nuggets): Developing rim protector with flashes of offensive dominance.
• Prime Years (Warriors/Lakers): Transitioned into a reliable, efficient role player for contenders.
• Late Career (Suns/Kings): Veteran mentor and situational rotation big, maintaining strong FG% but declining minutes.