JaVale McGee‘s career has taken a different path after making the cut of the final roster with the Golden State Warriors. In limited time off the bench, the 7-footer has been the energizer bunny on the glass, providing an inside presence that will challenge any shot and becoming a lob target and play-finisher at the offensive end.

But the stigma that has chased him for the vast majority of his career is one of a goofball who is too into his fun-loving antics to become a performer that can make winning plays for his team.

The big man dispelled that notion during a post-practice interview on Monday.

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“I definitely am able to be myself because we're winning,” said McGee. “In other teams, where you're a goofy person, they say ‘oh, he's a knucklehead' because he's having fun. I've never had a DUI, I've never failed a drug test, but I'm a knucklehead, that doesn't make sense.”

“I'm just a hyper goofy person, but I work hard.”

McGee has worked himself into a great situation for his career — after unsuccessful stints with the Washington Wizards and the Denver Nuggets, the Nevada product is playing limited, but impactful minutes off the bench, helping the team in an area of need.

“When you're winning you can be who you are, because you're winning,” he said. “When you're losing everything is in the spotlight and ‘oh, he said this on Twitter, he's not focused'.”

“It's really just losing or winning what determines things.”