Los Angeles Lakers big man JaVale McGee has gone from being out of the NBA completely to a legitimate center who actually played a role in the Golden State Warriors winning back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018.
So, what is the story behind McGee's miraculous transformation?
Well, apparently, the turnaround began when he stopped eating meat:
“I was in Dallas and I had gained weight and knew becoming a vegetarian was the quickest way to lose it,” said McGee, according to LZ Granderson of The Los Angeles Times. “I just wasn’t sure if I could do it.”
Not only did McGee do it, but he enjoyed it:
“I was just looking for vegan stuff, saw the name and was like ‘let me try this,’ and it was really good,” McGee said. “Like I couldn’t tell the difference between that and meat. I thought, ‘If I can make it taste good and I’m not really a cook, imagine what a chef could do.”
This season, McGee is averaging 11.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and two blocks over 21.7 minutes per game while shooting 60.3 percent from the floor and 63.5 percent from the free-throw line.
As for his time with the Dallas Mavericks, McGee is referring to his 34-game stint with the Mavericks during the 2015-16 campaign when he registered 5.1 points and 3.9 boards a night.
That summer, it looked like McGee would be on his way overseas, as no one was willing to pick him up until the Warriors gave him a chance and he produced, providing them with an athletic center who could represent a threat in the pick-and-roll and who was quick enough to defend pick-and-rolls adequately.
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