Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Ex-Lakers Champion JaVale McGee Opens Up on Signing With New League

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 11:42 AM ET

Over the course of 16 NBA seasons spent with nine different franchises, JaVale McGee has played a variety of roles. He has been the disappointing first-round pick notable for his boneheaded decisions while with Washington, was remade into a star backup after leaving the Wizards and became a championship good-luck charm when he won three straight titles with the Warriors (2018 and 2019) and then the Lakers (2020).

Since then, McGee has been the venerable veteran, an affable and wise locker room presence with the likes of the Suns, Mavericks and Kings before playing last season at age 36 in Puerto Rico.

But now McGee is back and he is signing on to play in Australia's NBL, a league that has gained and lost popularity in fits and starts but that has been bold in trying to raise its profile. McGee will be playing for the Illawarra Hawks, with whom he signed at the beginning of August.

How Did JaVale McGee's NBA Career End?

McGee was known for his shot-blocking, dunks and athleticism during his NBA career, and though he only averaged double-digit scoring once after leaving the Wizards (12.0 points as the Lakers' starter in 2018-19), McGee was always a popular NBA figure.

He was last a starter for 17 games in Phoenix in 2021-22, and spent his final two NBA season in Dallas and Sacramento coming off the bench for 81 of his 88 games played.

McGee averaged 17.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in Puerto Rico last year, and was an All-Star.

What Will His Role Be in Australia?

McGee spoke with the Geelong Advertiser about his new move to Ilwarra, telling the paper he's in the wanderlust stage of his career.

“I was in the NBA for 16 years and I always had a hint of jealously towards the European players because they get to go to different countries and really explore,” said McGee. “I never really had that opportunity, so when this opportunity came up to come to Australia ... I jumped straight on it."

McGee is not just going to the Hawks for exhibition and ticket-sales purposes. The team needs help in the middle, and he can still play. Center Sam Froling, who averaged 13.9 points and 7;0 rebounds last season, is out with an Achilles injury.

McGee said he understands that: “I’ll be bringing nothing but championship-winning calibre basketball with a little sprinkle of excitement and a lot of dunks and block shots for sure.

“I mean, if you are a fan of me, you know what I do, so just bringing what I do to an organisation that is already a championship organisation.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: