1. JaVale Lindy McGee is an American professional basketball player for the Vaqueros de Bayamon of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional.
48 Facts About JaVale McGee
1. 2.
JaVale McGee played college basketball for the Nevada Wolf Pack and was selected 18th overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2008 NBA draft.
3.
The son of Olympic gold medalist Pamela JaVale McGee, he won a gold medal with the 2020 US Olympic team.
4.
JaVale 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.
5.
JaVale McGee was the starting center for the University of Nevada.
6.
JaVale McGee was selected 18th overall by the Wizards in the 2008 NBA draft.
7.
JaVale McGee's teammates were photographed smiling and laughing with him.
8.
On January 6,2011, JaVale McGee was chosen to participate in the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
9.
JaVale McGee was the first Wizard to ever participate in the contest.
10.
JaVale 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.
11.
However, JaVale 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.
12.
JaVale McGee left the meeting early and told reporters there were some players "saying that they're ready to fold", but the majority was united.
13.
JaVale McGee later denied mentioning that players were ready to fold, but his comment was recorded by reporters.
14.
Derek Fisher said that JaVale McGee had "no ability to make that statement" based on the limited time he spent at the meeting.
15.
On March 15,2012, JaVale McGee was traded to the Nuggets along with Ronny Turiaf in a deal that sent Nene to the Wizards.
16.
JaVale McGee's series-high was 21 points in Game 5 against first-round opponent Los Angeles Lakers.
17.
On February 19,2015, JaVale 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.
18.
On July 8,2016, JaVale McGee was waived by the Mavericks.
19.
On September 16,2016, JaVale McGee signed with the Golden State Warriors.
20.
JaVale McGee's playing time increased when he was inserted into the starting lineup after the all-star break.
21.
In June 2018, JaVale McGee won his second straight championship after the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in a four-game sweep during the NBA Finals.
22.
JaVale McGee started the final three games of the series, and averaged 8.0 points in the four games.
23.
On July 10,2018, JaVale McGee signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.
24.
JaVale McGee won his third NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020.
25.
On November 23,2020, JaVale McGee was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Alfonzo McKinnie and Jordan Bell.
26.
On March 25,2021, JaVale McGee was traded to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for center Isaiah Hartenstein and two future second-round picks.
27.
On July 9,2022, JaVale McGee signed with the Dallas Mavericks.
28.
On September 2,2023, JaVale McGee signed with the Sacramento Kings.
29.
On January 31,2025, JaVale McGee signed with Vaqueros de Bayamon of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional.
30.
JaVale McGee received an invite to the US national team's mini-camp in the summer of 2009 and again in the summer of 2010.
31.
JaVale McGee played with Team USA in a scrimmage at Radio City Music Hall during the 2010 World Basketball Festival, but after an uneven performance, McGee did not play in the team's scrimmage against China at Madison Square Garden and was cut on August 15,2010.
32.
JaVale McGee visited the Philippines twice during the 2011 NBA lockout, first in exhibition games with NBA stars against players from the Philippine Basketball Association and the Smart Gilas national team, and then in a basketball clinic.
33.
Later that year, JaVale McGee expressed his interest in playing for the Philippine national team, and in 2012, a bill was filed for his Filipino citizenship to make him eligible to play for Smart Gilas.
34.
In 2014, JaVale McGee was asked again by the Gilas Pilipinas to take part as a naturalized player for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.
35.
In 2013, JaVale McGee started Juglife Foundation, an organization that brings awareness of drinking water and hydration.
36.
JaVale McGee has hosted celebrity softball games involving his NBA colleagues.
37.
JaVale McGee's father, 6-foot-10-inch George Montgomery, was a 1985 second-round draft selection by the Portland Trail Blazers, though he did not play for the team.
38.
JaVale McGee's mother, 6-foot-3-inch Pamela McGee, was a University of Southern California standout who played with her twin sister, Paula, and Cheryl Miller, and won two NCAA Division I championships, in 1983 and 1984.
39.
JaVale McGee is the first son of a WNBA player to ever play in the NBA.
40.
JaVale McGee's younger half-sister, Imani McGee-Stafford, is a professional basketball player who previously played in the WNBA for both the Chicago Sky and the Atlanta Dream.
41.
JaVale McGee is cousins with former NFL defensive end Jarron Gilbert.
42.
In 2013, it was announced that JaVale McGee would be starring in his own reality television show, Mom's Got Game, with his mother.
43.
JaVale McGee has been featured regularly on Inside the NBAs basketball blooper feature "Shaqtin' a Fool", earning the nickname "Tragic Bronson", a play on Magic Johnson, from Shaquille O'Neal.
44.
JaVale McGee has expressed displeasure at his frequent appearance on the segment.
45.
JaVale McGee became a full-time vegan in the summer of 2017.
46.
JaVale McGee had dabbled with the diet for a few years, using it before each season to lose weight.
47.
JaVale McGee has a studio in Inglewood and released his self-titled debut album in 2018.
48.
In 2020, JaVale McGee co-produced "Available" with Poo Bear and Sasha Sirota on Justin Bieber's record, Changes.