The Javale McGee Appreciation Thread

[Donkey McDonkerton]

I've been pretty high on Javale, and I really hope he learns how to play here. You can just see, with a little bit of time he could be a beast. Please get us a legit big man coach for next season.

[dobrojim]

too bad we could never get Kareem to tutor him.

Big John Thompson would be a nice choice but I doubt he needs
the work.

[dandridge 10]

The problem with McGee to this point in his career has been an unwillingness on his part to put in extra work. He doesn't have a ton of experience, fine -- he ought to be taking some responsibility and getting himself into the gym to work on his game. He can do some eye-popping things because he's a phenomenal athlete with incredible physical attributes. But he hasn't done the work to become a good player.

My hope is that as he gets minutes -- and he'll need to get significant minutes the rest of the way -- he'll figure out that he needs to do some work on his game if he wants to be a great player. Because I think the kid has All-NBA potential.

I've said this before, but I think the biggest roadblock to McGee's development is his mindset. Its almost as if he is TOO confident, if there is such a thing. Based on previous public comments and how he seems to react to coaching, it appears as though he thinks he already knows everything. Its hard to teach people when they have that mindset. Perhaps its because he is so darn athletic that he thinks he can get by on that alone. Unfortunately, until he learns that he can't, he is not going to reach his potential.

[montestewart]

The problem with McGee to this point in his career has been an unwillingness on his part to put in extra work. He doesn't have a ton of experience, fine -- he ought to be taking some responsibility and getting himself into the gym to work on his game. He can do some eye-popping things because he's a phenomenal athlete with incredible physical attributes. But he hasn't done the work to become a good player.

My hope is that as he gets minutes -- and he'll need to get significant minutes the rest of the way -- he'll figure out that he needs to do some work on his game if he wants to be a great player. Because I think the kid has All-NBA potential.

I agree with all of that. I've always liked McGee, from those first few games when he showed off his blocks and his ability to get airborne, but to me, his game hasn't progressed much. Court time might help, and better big man coaching too. Still, by all reports and the responses to him by three consecutive coaches, a lack of effort and unwillingness to learn might be part of the problem. With no one playing in front of him for the rest of the year, I hope he begins to break through, because he clearly has a lot to offer.

[doclinkin]

^^^ So-what , his parents played ball, are Michael Jordan's kids NBA prospects? You don't learn basketball via osmosis.

Dude, all the stories were that his mom raised him to be a ball player. That he learned on the sidelines of the sactown monarchs or whatever, and I think overseas a bit. So, no. Wrong.

Now maybe he learned he wasn't a female baller when he was a sophomore or whatever..

Actually thing is his mom raised him to play like a guard, and he was sub-190 lbs as a 7 foot tall perimeter oriented SF in HS, and played behind/learned from face-up Big Nick Fazekas in college. He's been taught his whole life he's supposed to be an 'evolutionary' big man, face-up, dribble, pass, shoot, etc. Not bang, box out and thump. Shame really since his mom was a gritty, in-the-trenches, tough player.

So right he's on that long-slow development track that most superbigs have to follow. Somewaht stunted in development since he's just now learning to play Big. But If he stays healthy he'll be a remarkable baller when he hits his peak at age 30.

[Ruzious]

We kid about McGee, but he has shown offensive improvement this season vs last. He's got a nice touch for a big man - and those 15 footers that he shoots from 10 feet out are much less frequent this season. Seriously, he does have better form on the short jumpers, and he has gotten a bit stronger. The on-man defense issue isn't going away soon, and he's really bad at it right now, but there's no better time to learn on the job than the present.

[Hoopalotta]

The on-man defense issue isn't going away soon, and he's really bad at it right now, but there's no better time to learn on the job than the present.

Come on, that might cost us some games.

[closg00]

The on-man defense issue isn't going away soon, and he's really bad at it right now, but there's no better time to learn on the job than the present.

Come on, that might cost us some games.

And that's a good thing going forward.

[verbal8]

The on-man defense issue isn't going away soon, and he's really bad at it right now, but there's no better time to learn on the job than the present.

Come on, that might cost us some games.

losses = ping pong balls

[Hoopalotta]

I thought it was ludicrous enough of a statement that it didn't need the smiley face or the green lettering.

I don't think anyone's tuning in to see what Oberto can do at this point.

[Tyrone Messby]

McGee might not have much awareness on defense right now but he sure as hell makes it look easy on the offensive side and on blocking. Get Charles Oakley in here! Toughen him up. Man, McGee Blatche has a TON of potential. If we were able to finally get some good luck our way and have those two pan out to their best abilities coupled with John Wall or Evan Turner..man..

[Donkey McDonkerton]

I thought it was ludicrous enough of a statement that it didn't need the smiley face or the green lettering.

I don't think anyone's tuning in to see what Oberto can do at this point.

How people didnt get that is beyond me...haha

[montestewart]

I thought it was ludicrous enough of a statement that it didn't need the smiley face or the green lettering.

I don't think anyone's tuning in to see what Oberto can do at this point.

How people didnt get that is beyond me...haha

No, seriously, if we win the rest of our games, we could nab a 4/5 seed and dodge Cavs, Celts or Magic in the first round. I'm worried about how Blatche/McGee will match up against their bigs in a seven game series.

[80sballboy]

Let's see how he does against Denver- a real team. McGee should have been playing in the D-League this season to get experience, but just another of many mistakes by this organization. It makes no sense to have him sit. What I did like (not his defense) was his patience. Instead of jacking up some crazy shot every time he touched it, he actually passed the pass when nothing was available. That's progress.

[TheSecretWeapon]

We kid about McGee, but he has shown offensive improvement this season vs last. He's got a nice touch for a big man - and those 15 footers that he shoots from 10 feet out are much less frequent this season. Seriously, he does have better form on the short jumpers, and he has gotten a bit stronger. The on-man defense issue isn't going away soon, and he's really bad at it right now, but there's no better time to learn on the job than the present.

I'm not so sure we've seen much improvement from McGee. I know I disagree about him having a nice touch (at least on jumpers). This season, he's shooting 1-16 from beyond 10 feet. On a per minute basis, he's actually taking a few more 10-15 foot shots (1.6 per 40 to 1.2) and slightly fewer from 16-23 feet (1.3 per 40 this season vs. 1.6 per 40 last year). Altogether, he's taking about the same number of greater than 10 feet jumpers -- 2.9 per 40 this year vs. 2.8 last.

He's actually hitting a higher percentage from 10 feet and in, but he's taking fewer shots from that range. Hard to say whether that's coaching or whether it's his own decision-making.

His turnover percentage is up a bit, but is still more than acceptable for a center.

Overall, his significantly worse free throw percentage, his drop in offensive rebounding, and his slight increase in turnovers has lowered his offensive rating (best measure of individual offensive efficiency -- it accounts for shooting, assists, turnovers and offensive rebounding) from 107 last year (about the league average) to 103 (significantly below average).

Kid still needs a TON of work on his game.

[Ruzious]

It is hard to put a good spin on 1 for 16. I was probably basing the "improvement" on seeing him in preseason and Summer League games - whe he was looking comfortable taking and making outside shots... and actually getting significant playing time. It's hard to evaluate his game when he doesn't play. Summer League and preseason isn't a good way either - but at least you can see what skills are there when the PT is there. Now that he's going to be getting PT, we can get a legit handle on whether or not he's improved. But I do think the basic offensive skills are there, and it's a matter of developing it.

[TheSecretWeapon]

I agree some basic skills are there. I think he needs playing time and more time on the practice court.

His shooting from 10+ feet was better his rookie season -- 21-78. That's 26.9%, which is pretty bad, but a lot better than then 6.2% he's shooting from that distance so far this season.

[Ruzious]

... 16 shot sample size

[hands11]

The kid hopefully learned a valuable lesson about shot selection tonight.

He does some good things but he really needs to listen to Flip and learn what is a good shot and what isn't.

KNOW YOUR GAME YOUNG MAN

[pancakes3]

1:12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ3Xom5X ... re=related

mcgee. you live in the paint. that's home.