It wasn't long ago that JaVale McGee was nothing more than the butt of tired NBA in-jokes. The Golden State Warriors, remember, signed him to a non-guaranteed “prove-it” deal in late July 2016 as Anderson Varejao dealt with back issues. Steve Kerr was under no delusion that McGee was a lock to make the Warriors' 15-man roster out of training camp, let alone emerge as a key rotation piece up front for back-to-back title teams.
His ongoing success with the Los Angeles Lakers, unfortunately, has gone largely unnoticed amid the team's widespread dysfunction during LeBron James' first season wearing forum blue and gold. What seems like every game, though, McGee makes a play that reminds of the ridiculous combination of length and athleticism that's long made him one of the league's most tantalizing players. He did it again on Friday night against the cross-arena Los Angeles Clippers, posterizing former Lakers teammate Ivica Zubac with a towering one-handed slam off a near standstill.
Throw it down, JaVale! 🔨😳#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/rnoexS28Ea
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 6, 2019
Filthy.
Look where McGee collects Rajon Rondo's bounce pass, by the way. His hands were one of many easily overlooked weaknesses that just barely earlier in the 7-foot-1 jumping jack's career had him on the fringes of the NBA. Now, he's catching bounce passes below his knees in traffic, skying for high-arching lobs, and occasionally making plays in the dribble hand-off game on the perimeter.
Call it another subtle yet crucial improvement McGee has made on his long, winding road to what seems, finally, like sustained relevance.
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