3x NBA champ clarifies comments on choosing to play with LeBron James over Steph Curry
Three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee once said that he preferred playing with LeBron James over Steph Curry. McGee won one championship with James and the LA Lakers, and two titles with Curry and the Golden State Warriors. He clarified his comments about choosing "King James" over "Chef Curry."
Speaking on the "Above The Rim" podcast with Dwight Howard, McGee was asked about his comments from 2021. He made it clear that it was blown out of proportion and the real reason he chose the four-time MVP was because he was playing more minutes with the Lakers.
"I liked playing on the Lakers more than I played on the Warriors 'cause I was a starting center and I had more touches and I had more time. I had more impact on the game. I played like eight minutes a game when I was on the Warriors. ... I was just catching lobs and running the flow. I barely worked out when I was playing with the Warriors," McGee said. [41:10 onwards]
JaVale McGee added that he didn't have to do a lot of stuff with the Golden State Warriors because he had a very specific role and played limited minutes. McGee was a rim runner and protector for the Warriors, so only had to work on his conditioning all the time there.
"I would just do conditioning and practice 'cause if I shoot a jump shot, they taking me the out. So why am I shooting jump shots? So I was all conditioning because that's all they wanted to do, screen and roll, up and back, catch lobs from Draymond, Steph and Klay," McGee said.
McGee played two seasons with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, winning championships in 2017 and 2018. He averaged less than 10 minutes per game but had an impact on both sides of the floor in the regular season and playoffs.
After two years with the Warriors, McGee joined LeBron James and the LA Lakers via free agency. He won one championship there in 2020 inside the NBA bubble. He had his best years in Los Angeles, being a starter for two seasons and even averaging a career-high 12.0 points per game in 2019.
What did JaVale McGee say about LeBron James and Steph Curry in 2021?
After splitting the 2020-21 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets, JaVale McGee had an AMA on Bleacher Report. He was asked about his time playing with the Golden State Warriors and had nothing but positive things to say about his tenure there.
But when asked about who will he choose over LeBron James and Steph Curry, he would prefer playing with "The King."
"I would probably say LeBron the first year I was on the Lakers," McGee said. [H/T NBC Sports Bay Area]
It's not surprising that McGee chose that specific season. It was the best year of his career, averaging 12.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game.