Okay, JaVale McGee is not that much taller (maybe a half-inch) or bigger (he’s added 7 pounds to his 250 lb. frame), but there’s a change in him that is at least somewhat noticeable, and McGee says he’s still growing and eating a ton.
What he needs to get eating is defensive rebounds, which Wizards head coach Flip Saunders said will be the emphasis for McGee in Las Vegas, where last year he averaged 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 blocks.
“I’ve just been trying to lift weights every day and eat a lot,” said McGee. “I’m eating a bunch and just working out. I’m trying to get my legs strong and my upper body.”
McGee gained confidence last summer, parlaying his performance into an invite to the USA Basketball minicamp. This summer some growth in the areas that Saunders is hoping for might help propel McGee back into the starting lineup this fall. It’s a place where he struggled last year, even after the position opened up for him with the departure of Brendan Haywood to Dallas.
“Just defensive rebounding for him and learning to play good basketball,” said Saunders. “As much from a strength standpoint, going against main type centers, he’s not as strong as some of those guys so he gets pushed around. What happens is he gets in foul trouble so quick and that takes him right out of his game. He’s going to have to learn to play at our level and be able to play as far as from the beginning.”
Asked if he thinks McGee can develop that this summer, Saunders replied, “He’s going to have to.”
McGee said he does like the Wizards summer league roster – “We young, fast, athletic, so it should be exciting. We should be running up and down the court, getting rebounds, blocked shots and dunks. We should get some wins,” – and playing with John Wall – “A lot of attention gets drawn to him so he can make plays for other people,” and said developing team chemistry will also be important.
He also had a couple of interesting responses, first to a question about who he would compare with Wall.
“Probably Gil [Arenas], a good player like Gil, except Gil got more range,” said McGee.
Ooh, that can’t be what Wall wants to hear about his jump shot, which has already been a point of criticism.
Second, McGee was asked about fellow big man Hamady N’diaye.
“He look like a young me,” said McGee, who at 22 years is about to enter his third year in the NBA. “I’m not saying I’m not young. He look like a rookie me.”
N’diaye is 23.
