JaVale Lindy McGee ( jə-VAYL; born January 19, 1988) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Nevada Wolf Pack and was selected 18th overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2008 NBA draft. McGee is a three-time NBA champion, having won consecutive titles with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018 before winning a third title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. The son of Olympic gold medalist Pamela McGee, he won a gold medal with the 2020 U.S. Olympic team.
High school and college career
McGee was born in Flint, Michigan, and attended two high schools in Michigan, Detroit Country Day School and Providence Christian, before transferring to Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago, Illinois. According to Hales Franciscan coach Gary London, McGee's natural position in college was ideally small forward, and he could play both forward spots.
McGee was the starting center for the University of Nevada. After averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds and shooting 53% from the field and 33% from three-point range as a sophomore, McGee decided to hire an agent and declare for the 2008 NBA draft.
Washington Wizards (2008–2012)
McGee was selected 18th overall by the Wizards in the 2008 NBA draft. On July 9, 2008, he signed a two-year, $2.4 million deal with the Wizards.
On January 9, 2010, the Wizards fined McGee $10,000 for participating in Gilbert Arenas' antics before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers four days prior. Arenas was being investigated for a prior incident involving guns in the Wizards' locker room, but made light of the accusations by pointing his finger at his teammates, as if he were shooting them. His teammates were photographed smiling and laughing with him.
On January 6, 2011, McGee was chosen to participate in the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He was the first Wizard to ever participate in the contest. McGee finished in second place, losing to Blake Griffin. McGee was the first player to use three balls at one time in a dunk contest, which was later cited by the Guinness World Records as the most basketballs dunked in a single jump. The third ball was passed to him from teammate John Wall.
On March 15, 2011, in a 98–79 loss against the Chicago Bulls, McGee notched his first career triple-double, recording 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 blocks. McGee's career-high 12 blocks was the most since Keon Clark had 12 on March 23, 2001. However, McGee received some criticism for taking ill-advised shots in the fourth quarter to ensure he reached 10 points while his team was being blown out, and even received a technical foul for excessive celebration by pulling himself on the rim after a dunk for his final points. Television commentator Kevin McHale called it a "bad triple-double". In response to the criticism, McGee said, "I got a triple-double. Who can say they got a triple-double? I'm not really worried about it."
During the 2011 NBA lockout, NBPA leaders met with around 30 players on October 14 and stressed unity. McGee left the meeting early and told reporters there were some players "saying that they're ready to fold", but the majority was united. McGee later denied mentioning that players were ready to fold, but his comment was recorded by reporters. Derek Fisher said that McGee had "no ability to make that statement" based on the limited time he spent at the meeting.
McGee averaged over 10 points and eight rebounds in 2010–11 and 2011–12 with the Wizards.
On March 15, 2012, McGee was traded to the Nuggets along with Ronny Turiaf in a deal that sent Nenê to the Wizards. As a member of the Wizards, McGee started 40 of 41 games in which he appeared; with the Nuggets, he would start in five of 20 games in which he appeared. McGee's minutes would also be reduced, averaging 27.4 with Washington but 20.6 with Denver. On March 21, in his Nuggets debut, McGee made the game-winning dunk off an Arron Afflalo missed free throw with five seconds left on the clock. At the end of the regular season, the Nuggets earned the West's sixth seed, and McGee appeared in the 2012 NBA playoffs, which was his first playoff appearance in his career. McGee's series-high was 21 points in Game 5 against first-round opponent Los Angeles Lakers. His numbers were up and down throughout the series, including Game 7, when McGee scored just six points on 1–7 shooting in 32 minutes of floor time. On July 18, 2012, McGee re-signed with the Nuggets on a four-year, $44 million contract.
McGee's 2013–14 season was ended on February 20, 2014, when he underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left tibia in which he sustained on November 8, 2013.
On October 29, 2014, McGee made his return for the Nuggets, recording two points and two rebounds in the season opening 89–79 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
On February 19, 2015, McGee was traded, along with the rights to Chukwudiebere Maduabum and a 2015 first-round pick, to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the rights to Cenk Akyol. On March 1, McGee was waived by the 76ers after appearing in six games.
On August 13, 2015, McGee signed with the Dallas Mavericks. He missed the team's first 13 games of the 2015–16 season due to a stress fracture in his left tibia. On November 22, McGee made his debut for the Mavericks, playing in just under 11 minutes off the bench, recording eight points and six rebounds in a 117–114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. On January 5, 2016, he recorded season highs of 13 points and 11 rebounds in a 117–116 narrow double overtime victory over the Sacramento Kings.
On July 8, 2016, McGee was waived by the Mavericks.
Golden State Warriors (2016–2018)