If athletic pedigree is important, the Washington Wizards have the steal of the 2008 NBA Draft.
In selecting 7-foot JaVale McGee of Nevada with the No. 18 pick in the first round, Washington has obtained a player from a basketball family. McGee’s father, George Montgomery, was a standout at Illinois. His mother, Pam McGee, was an All-America at USC.
“I’ve been around the game my whole life,” said McGee. “I have it in my blood.”
McGee, who declared for the draft after his sophomore year, averaged 14.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and shot 53 percent from the floor.
“He rebounds real well, is a good shot blocker. We think he has a real good upside,” said Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld. “He has a perimeter game, a jump hook, going both ways. We’re excited about his abilities to improve.”
Grunfeld said he tried to make a trade to move up in the draft, but didn’t say who he was interested in selecting. He said also considered moving down.
But Grunfeld decided to pick McGee over attractive players such as Kansas’ forward Darrell Arthur, Kansas guard Mario Chalmers, and Syracuse forward Donte Greene.
McGee, who is from Flint, Mich., was a late bloomer. He averaged just 3.3 points as a freshman at Nevada, playing behind All-America Nick Fazekas.
The Wizards didn’t work McGee out. They like his growth potential. The 20-year-old has a 7-6 wingspan, can run the floor, handles the ball well, and can play power forward or center. He has been compared to Portland’s Channing Frye.
“To get to play with Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, it’s a great feeling,” said McGee.
Grunfeld hinted that McGee may be a year away from contributing. He’ll probably play behind Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas, who is recovering from heart surgery.
“I’d like to see these players stay in school. But that’s not how the system works right now. A lot of these players are projects. They’re the ones in the pool and they’re the ones we have to evaluate and analyze,” said Grunfeld. “He’s not the first player picked that you have to develop. A lot of players you have to develop and he fits that mold.”
