JaVale McGee was once again part of some headlines recently after he was called out by an unnamed player of the Cleveland Cavaliers for apparently not being smart enough to be in the NBA Finals.One would think that as soon as word of the comments reached the athletic center, he'd be upset. However, the Golden State Warriors big man handled it differently.
When asked how he felt after finding out a Finals opponent thought of him as such, the 29-year-old Nevada product did not pay a lot of attention to it, and even said it won’t affect him, especially since it came from someone who was kept anonymous.
JaVale McGee on Cavs' comment that he wasn't "smart enough" to stay on floor during Finals: "How could an anonymous person piss me off?"
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 31, 2017
This certainly says a lot about the level of maturity he has and how he’s not letting any outside factors affect his focus on winning in this year’s finals. It could also be that he is using the criticism against him as extra motivation to prove his worth and make everyone think that there is more to his game than the on-court antics he’s been infamously known for.
Throughout the course of the season, McGee turned out to be a very important signing for the Dubs as he emerged to be more than just a serviceable big man for them. He has provided his team with inside toughness and rim protection in quality minutes off the bench. Should he play solid basketball again in the finals and be fired up with the negative comments made against him, it will be a huge boost to the Warriors, and also help him win the first title in his career.