The Javale McGee Appreciation Thread

[willbcocks]

If its the one from last year, that video sums up his mental game perfectly.

[Grime_Wizard]

Dump, has anyone heard any news on McGee in relation to summer league this year? I think it's be dominating with McGee and Wall down at Vegas Summer League.

Haven't you seen his off-season work-out upload?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG4u9avWL_I

doesnt look to bad

[DaRealHibachi]

Dump, has anyone heard any news on McGee in relation to summer league this year? I think it's be dominating with McGee and Wall down at Vegas Summer League.

Haven't you seen his off-season work-out upload?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG4u9avWL_I

Great...

Our starting center ladies and gentlemen...

[LyricalRico]

The latest from McGee:

"My hope for us is to be young and exciting, like Oklahoma City was last year," said McGee. "It’s finally time for the young guys to step up and take over, show exactly what we’re capable of."

<snip>

He said he's traded messages with Gilbert Arenas and that he's looking forward to Arenas getting his image back out there.

And, of course, McGee is excited about working with John Wall in Las Vegas next month.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sport ... z0rnAGgnqZ

[JWizmentality]

Wall to McGeeeeeeeeeeee!!! All Summer League long baby!!!

[closg00]

If Flip had been playing this kid earlier things might have been better.

Not to be negative, though. Things are going to be SO MUCH MORE EXCITING to watch from here on out.

CCJ - Was this the thread where the debate took-place about Flip benching JaVale for most of the season? On-vacation and don't have time to slug-through, but I did catch there had been some historical revisionism about how/why McGee sat for that lomg stretch of games.

I just hope that with Hilton coming aboard, that we do not see Hilton's progress stunted like it was last year.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

No, I thought it was the thread.

The other thread was entitled "More minutes for McGee and Young" IIRC

I don't have much faith in Hilton Armstrong's game at this point. I don't think he plays ahead of McGee. He better not.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Not to hijack the thread, but Blatche is playing like a man possessed tonight

He's been freed.

The reason the Wizards lost so many games in the first place is Blatche wasn't starting PF. Flip wouldn't bench Jamison or Butler and make one or the other the sixth man. On top of that, McGee should have been playing 15-20 minutes a game.

Blatche has been the best PF for a while now, and he showed that early this season. His size, defense, and willingness to pass make him a real asset at PF.

I've been saying all year Blatche/McGee would be a good frontline.

I am SO HAPPY they are buying Gooden out!

Flip relied on Jamison and Butler, just oblivious to the obvious. Undersized, non-athletic players who in the fourth quarter can't make stops, can't grab key rebounds after logging heaving minutes all game long, and who can't make plays one-on-one. Saunders would have been much better off putting size in the game.

At the very least, the team would have been better if players received minutes not based on veteran status, contract, or perceived practice habits, or coach's bias. Flip played favorites and lost last season.

[no D in Hibachi]

Flip relied on Jamison and Butler, just oblivious to the obvious....Saunders would have been much better off putting size in the game.

At the very least, the team would have been better if players received minutes not based on veteran status, contract, or perceived practice habits, or coach's bias. Flip played favorites and lost last season.

I sort of agree with you on this CCJ, however, I fail to see how Flips had any other options then riding the vets. Flip playing didn't lose last season because he played Jamison and Butler. The season started off poorly, there had to be tension amongst the players because they expected to be a top 4 team in the east and were playing badly. The vets always lacked respect for the young'ns, at least to a degree. How was Flip going to manage Butler's and Jamison's ego by benching them for Blatche and McGee? Jamison and Butler would bitch and moan like crazy and since the local media was on their side, not Blatche's, they would have really come down on EG and Flip. It would have been a million times worse. Further, benching the vets for McGee and Blatche wasn't going to turn things around; the team didn't win at a better rate post trades and the team still started off terribly when Blatche was starting and playing well.

How could Flip defend his position of benching EG's guys for player EG didn't trust or regard highly? Remember EG reported offered Blatche for Augustin. The ship was sinking and no one in the organization believed Blatche could plug it. Since they had sooo much riding on the decision to bench Jamison for Blatche it just wasn't going to happen. They were at the point of no return with this team and management wisely discarded the vets for a youth movement.

Last season was an absolute failure because a whirlwind of events, but I don't hold Flip accountable for riding the vets because his hands were tied. Last seasons failue can be attributed to, in order, 1) the collection of talents, or lack there of, assembled by EG, 2) injuries to Jamison and Miller at the start the season, 3) Butlers alpha-dog beef with Arenas, and 4) Crittenton and Arenas' stupid gun tirade. Flip playing McGee or Blatche 10 more minutes per game wasn't going to stop any of those events.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Instead of having veterans calling out young players and having a divided lockerroom, Saunder could have done more like Alvin Gentry. No matter how good Stoudemire supposedly is, Louis Admunsen plays. No matter how good Steve Nash is, Goran Dragic plays. Jared Dudley and Robin Lopez play. The Suns coach played both Frye and Lopez. He didn't berate his players in the media.

Flip at least giving Young 10 of Stevenson's worthless minutes would have stopped some bad events. Flip playing Young instead of Stevenson would have won a lot of games.

No d, I think 10 minutes of McGee would have changed a lot of things. Consistent minutes would have been a darn sight better than game after game DNP CDs. I thought putting McGee in for a last second play, when he hasn't been in the whole game; and then ripping the player for messing up was all on Flip.

My thoughts on last season I made from late November, early December on. The team would have been far better if the coach made an example of a shot jacking Caron Butler EARLY in the season. Flip never tried a big lineup with Jamison at SF and Caron on the bench when he played selfishly. Likewise, he played Oberto a ton of minutes with DeShawn Stevenson--and couldn't seem to figure out why the team could not score.

If he played Young and McGee instead of Stevenson and Oberto the team would have had a better record. If he thought outside the box and tried McGee with Haywood, an offense/defense tandem, the team would have been better. If Flip notes how well Andray played as a starter BEFORE the trade and break up of the team, instead of going right back to losing with Jamison/Butler, the record would have been better.

no D in Hibachi, I will be in the minority but I think Flip was a huge part of why the team was so bad.

By the end of the season, I saw Gil come around and Caron also begin to do better in Flip's system. I thought Coach Saunders did fine the last half of the season (but a better coach wouldn't have lost 15 in a row).

Despite saying all of this, I expect Flip will have a bounce back year and that the Wizards will win 42-45 games. They will make the playoffs and Saunders will show to be a good coach now that he's not stuck with the players he was loyal to last season.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Last season was an absolute failure because a whirlwind of events, but I don't hold Flip accountable for riding the vets because his hands were tied. Last seasons failue can be attributed to, in order, 1) the collection of talents, or lack there of, assembled by EG, 2) injuries to Jamison and Miller at the start the season, 3) Butlers alpha-dog beef with Arenas, and 4) Crittenton and Arenas' stupid gun tirade. Flip playing McGee or Blatche 10 more minutes per game wasn't going to stop any of those events.

Your points #2, 3, & 4 certainly made things worse and were not on Flip.

[Hoopalotta]

I think that to point to Flip for some elements of the poor showing at the start of last season is fair, but I'd say it was about his inability to get the veterans into a properly cohesive and confident framework rather than his rotations with the youngsters that was the problem.

There was just a lot of drama, turmoil and uncertainty at the top of the roster even before "the incident". It's the nature of the business that some of that is on the coach, regardless of the particulars behind it all.

[Kanyewest]

From McGee's twitter:

bigdaddywookie: Hey everybody USA trials once again

[hands11]

Instead of having veterans calling out young players and having a divided lockerroom, Saunder could have done more like Alvin Gentry. No matter how good Stoudemire supposedly is, Louis Admunsen plays. No matter how good Steve Nash is, Goran Dragic plays. Jared Dudley and Robin Lopez play. The Suns coach played both Frye and Lopez. He didn't berate his players in the media.

Flip at least giving Young 10 of Stevenson's worthless minutes would have stopped some bad events. Flip playing Young instead of Stevenson would have won a lot of games.

No d, I think 10 minutes of McGee would have changed a lot of things. Consistent minutes would have been a darn sight better than game after game DNP CDs. I thought putting McGee in for a last second play, when he hasn't been in the whole game; and then ripping the player for messing up was all on Flip.

My thoughts on last season I made from late November, early December on. The team would have been far better if the coach made an example of a shot jacking Caron Butler EARLY in the season. Flip never tried a big lineup with Jamison at SF and Caron on the bench when he played selfishly. Likewise, he played Oberto a ton of minutes with DeShawn Stevenson--and couldn't seem to figure out why the team could not score.

If he played Young and McGee instead of Stevenson and Oberto the team would have had a better record. If he thought outside the box and tried McGee with Haywood, an offense/defense tandem, the team would have been better. If Flip notes how well Andray played as a starter BEFORE the trade and break up of the team, instead of going right back to losing with Jamison/Butler, the record would have been better.

no D in Hibachi, I will be in the minority but I think Flip was a huge part of why the team was so bad.

By the end of the season, I saw Gil come around and Caron also begin to do better in Flip's system. I thought Coach Saunders did fine the last half of the season (but a better coach wouldn't have lost 15 in a row).

Despite saying all of this, I expect Flip will have a bounce back year and that the Wizards will win 42-45 games. They will make the playoffs and Saunders will show to be a good coach now that he's not stuck with the players he was loyal to last season.

It was a bad situation to walk into as a first year coach, playing for to much because your dieing owner wanted on more run. At some point, I was pretty sick of watching what Flip was doing but I'll give him a break. He was run over by the train as much as the next person. It just wasn't a good situation.

This year should be a lot better for him. He got his feet wet last year. Now we have a better owner/GM combination in behind him. I think the front office is all on the same page which is always better for a head coach. And he gets to manage the team and the upcoming seasons challenges much earlier in the process. A lot of the players already know him. The knew ones will know nothing but him.

Totally different situation from last year.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

From McGee's twitter:

bigdaddywookie: Hey everybody USA trials once again

Last season McGee drew praise from Larry Brown and other coaches during the trials. McGee played with and against the likes of Durant, Brook Lopez, and Greg Oden. He held his own.

This year McGee should be tremendously confident coming off of a dominating Vegas Summer League performance. McGee shot .688 and averaged over 19.5 points and 9.3 rebounds.

(My guy Cousins killed VSL the first four games but had two really bad games. He averaged 14.5 and 10.6 but only shot .333. Javale has been in the league two more years and is two years older than Demarcus. McGee is ready to blow up this season. Imagine Cousins in two or three years.)

[nate33]

Wizards center JaVale McGee has been added to Team USA's training camp roster.

A total of 22 players will begin practicing on Tuesday in preparation for the 2010 World Championships in Turkey.

McGee practiced with Team USA in a minicamp last summer and received the invite after impressing with Washington during the Las Vegas Summer League.

He will be the fourth center on the roster, behind Brook Lopez, Tyson Chandler and Robin Lopez.

link

If nothing else, it's more practice for McGee with quality competition. Hopefully, somebody will manage to teach him defensive fundamentals (which are difficult to practice during the offseason).

It's also a pretty good sign that McGee is among the best of an admittedly weak crop of young centers.

[NbdyBeatsTheWiz]

^ pretty exciting in my book, who are the assistant coaches for the training camp? hope he goes there ready to learn, he's been handed a great opportunity.

[rockymac52]

It'll be nice for him to get some action against much more established and skilled centers. Although I think McGee is getting a lot better, his game is clearly suited to the summer league atmosphere. When he towers over the rest of the inexperienced competition, he can dominate, just like in college, but then when the real NBA rolls around, he goes back to being a confused, weak kid again. It's fun to see him dominate the summer league, and it's encouraging that he has it in him, but he clearly isn't ready to do so against the NBA's best, so this is the perfect opportunity.

[verbal8]

It is great to hear that McGee will be in the Team USA training camp.

[Surfman]

I think this is great news and I think the kid is making progress. This can only help his development. Hoping there are some good big man coaches headin up the squad and they spend some time working on his boxing out and rebounding and not going for head fakes. The kid is definetly getting better.