Story by
"I barely worked out" - JaVale McGee reveals the reality of his role with the Warriors
- Story by
- "I barely worked out" - JaVale McGee reveals the reality of his role with the Warriors
JaVale McGee was arguably one of the most misunderstood players in NBA history. A lanky 7-foot center who had pogo sticks for legs, McGee was often portrayed by the media, especially on "Shaqtin' a Fool," as a goofball NBA player who couldn't do anything right. However, that portrayal couldn't be any farther from the truth, as his key roles on championship teams like the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers showed.
McGee, though, let on that as much as he enjoyed his time in the Bay Area, his development as a basketball player got stunted as the Warriors didn't ask much of him other than set screens, run to the rim, and catch lobs.
Advertisement
A cut-and-dried role
McGee revealed that he enjoyed playing on the Lakers more than on the Warriors, primarily because of the impact that he had on the game. He was the team's starting center who played 22.3 minutes a game, averaging 12.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. Meanwhile, on the Warriors, McGee averaged just 5.5 points, playing 9.5 minutes a game in a reserve role.
"I liked playing on the Lakers more than I played on the Warriors because I was a starting center, and I had more touches, and I had more time. I had more impact on the game. I played like eight minutes a game when I was on the Warriors," JaVale shared .
Advertisement
The 16-year NBA veteran added that while he was playing for the Warriors, he spent most of his time working on getting his conditioning level up; he didn't even bother on working on his game, aware that when he was on the floor, he wasn't going to be able to do anything other than what he was instructed to do.
No isolation plays. No midrange jumpers. No dribble moves. Just set screens for Stephen Curry , Klay Thompson , and Kevin Durant , and get what he could from those actions.
"I was just catching lobs and running the floor. I barely worked out when I was playing with the Warriors. I would just do conditioning, hella conditioning, in practice because I'm like, 'If I shoot a jump shot, they taking me the fuck out. So why am I shooting jump shots?'" JaVale recalled.
Advertisement
"So I was all conditioning because that's all they wanted me to do: screen, roll, up and back, catch lobs. Draymond, Steph, Klay, they all throwing lobs," he added. "I'm like, 'I'm not about to be in here working on jump shots. Like, for what? I'm not getting those opportunities.'"
A vital piece of the puzzle
McGee's role on the Warriors may have been understated, but in no way was he a diminished part of that roster. In fact, he started nine games in their title run in 2018. While Zaza Pachulia spent most of the year starting, McGee's presence gave the Warriors a different dynamic that used to confound opponents.
Advertisement
While Zaza was all force, JaVale was more smooth with it, often finding creases in the defense that he regularly exploited. This was never clearer than in the 2018 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers , when he averaged 9.3 points on 82.4 percent shooting to help the Warriors sweep their longtime rivals.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
