Washington Wizards: 5 Ways JaVale McGee Can Take His Game to the Next Level
The Washington Wizards knew what they were getting themselves into when they drafted JaVale McGee with the 18th pick in the 2008 Draft. He was a raw prospect coming out of the University of Nevada, but had the athleticism and the fire to develop into a great center given the proper time and care.
Now in his third year, McGee has shown flashes of the player the Wizards want him to be, but he has not had the breakout performance many expected him to have this season.
With wins coming few and far between, the Wizards need their youth-laden roster to grow up in a hurry. With some trade rumors swirling around both McGee and Andray Blatche, McGee will have to step up his game in the next few months to solidify his role as an integral part of the Wizards future. It won't be easy, but there are plenty of ways McGee can make things easier on himself without taking away from his production.
He is averaging 9.3 points, 8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game this season, which are by no means bad numbers. But with a 7'6" wingspan and the ability to jump out of the gym, McGee should be grazing elite-level numbers if not for his offensive frustration and lack of a true role on offense.
5. Make Opponents Defend His Game
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McGee is longer and more athletic than almost any other center in the NBA. He isn't as strong as Dwight Howard and doesn't have the polish on the offensive end of Andrew Bogut, but he is quicker and longer than both players. If he tries to go toe-to-toe with Howard, he's likely to get knocked on his butt.
He needs to force defenders to respect his physical gifts on both ends of the floor, and that starts by utilizing those gifts more efficiently.
If you've ever watched McGee, it is pretty apparent that he can jump out of the gym. He also has a freakish wingspan and massive hands. Put those two gifts together and you have a player who can jump and reach higher than just about anyone in the NBA. Where McGee falters is when he tries to bang down low against bigger, more naturally physical centers.
McGee has enough strength to survive in the paint, but needs to get it out of his mind that he can overpower anyone and everyone.
4. Perfect His Go-To Move
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Every post player needs a go-to move, and while JaVale McGee doesn't have the traditional back-to-the-basket game that most post players do, he isn't inept on offense. He has displayed the ability to post up from anywhere around the key, spin and dunk. It is a simple move, but effective all the same.
McGee's length and quickness allow him to keep the ball away from defenders and get a deep first step towards the basket.
He has spent too much time trying to figure out where he is on the floor that he has gotten away from what he has shown to be good at. Take the best of what Kevin Garnett did in his prime in terms of his free-throw line spin and dunk and that is what McGee can do on his best night. The issue is putting him in the right position to pull it off.
McGee is not a dominant center in the paint, but he can do special things when allowed to roam the five-to-10 feet around the rim.
He is not a shooter, but he has the length to turn a typical 15-foot jump shot into a dunk with one drop step and a spin. He may be a lanky-looking kid, but he has the tools to be a quality scorer in his own right. He is a finesse player at a position that requires power, but his physical gifts give him other advantages besides strength.
3. Get Out of His Head
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McGee spent much of his time during the offseason working on his floor positioning in the halfcourt offense and on the defensive end of the floor. In nearly every game this season, McGee has been noticeably hesitant in his movement on the floor. Rather than read and react, McGee spends too much time reading the situation and finds himself on the business end of a posterization.
The Wizards need McGee to simplify things and worry about making plays instead of trying to make the perfect play every time down the floor.
2. Harness the Youthful Emotion
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JaVale McGee is nothing if not young and it shows on every basket, every rebound and every block. He has a passion for the game and it often comes out in celebratory fist pumps or salutes, and primal screams. Some see it as immaturity, while others see it as unbridled intensity.
Rather than limit his emotions on the floor, McGee needs to put them to good use.
As an emotional player, McGee is not one to back down in the face of opposition. If he gets dunked on by his opponent, you can be certain he will be dunking on his next touch or swatting the next attempt that comes his way. He has all the makings of a killer instinct, just not the experience in putting it into action.
What do the Wizards have to lose this season? McGee can leave it all out on the floor instead of allowing frustration to build and hinder his ability in future games.
1. Get Back to What He Does Best
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Plain and simple, JaVale McGee does not have a polished offensive game. He doesn't have a go-to back-to-the-basket move or moves, and it hinders his production in the halfcourt offense. He is still young, and has plenty of time to develop that part of his game, but the Wizards can't afford to have him worrying about being the prototypical center that is going to dominate in the paint a la Dwight Howard or Shaq circa 1998.
McGee is at his best when he runs the break or prowls the paint for put-backs and tip-slams.
The rawness that McGee entered the NBA with is what makes him such an intriguing player for the Wizards. With John Wall providing an up-tempo offense, McGee can pick his spots off of Wall's dribble penetration or simply by being willing and able to run the rim on fastbreaks. That isn't to say he should neglect developing his game, but he is no good to the Wizards when he has to think about what he is doing.
