PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns today signed free agent center JaVale McGee.
McGee (7-0, 270 pounds) is a three-time NBA champion who earlier this month won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the U.S. men’s national team. He teamed with Suns guard Devin Booker for the U.S. in Tokyo, totaling 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting in 20 minutes played over four games. McGee began last season with Cleveland before being acquired by Denver where he faced the Suns in the Western Conference Semifinals. He averaged 7.3 points on 51.1% shooting, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 14.7 minutes in 46 appearances during the 2020-21 season.
An NBA veteran entering his 14th season, McGee has won league titles with Golden State in 2017 and 2018, and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. He holds career averages of 7.8 points on 57.1% shooting, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 747 games (319 starts) with Washington, Denver, Philadelphia, Dallas, Golden State, the L.A. Lakers and Cleveland. He has also appeared in 62 career playoff games (23 starts), averaging 5.4 points on 59.9% shooting, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 12.6 minutes. The Flint, Michigan native entered the league as the 18th overall pick by Washington in the 2008 NBA Draft following a two-year collegiate career at the University of Nevada, Reno. His mother, Pamela McGee, is a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and an Olympic gold medalist herself as a member of the U.S. women’s national team in 1984.