We’ve seen basketball wives inject themselves into the equation before. Every partner, from Cindy Rooney in Any Given Sunday to Glen Rice‘s wife, knows they can wield some power. But mothers? Typically, they’re out of the conversation. Professional sports are too macho. You can’t be having your mother hanging around you… unless you’re Ricky Rubio, who brought his mom with him to draft interviews. JaVale McGee‘s mother has spoken out about her son before, but now her words are singing louder than ever.
Pamela McGee spoke to Mike Wise of the Washington Post recently in an effort to defend her son. McGee might be averaging 11.6 points, 10.1 rebounds while sitting second in the NBA with three blocks a night, but he’s become better known for some of his other tendencies.
Pamela said her son wasn’t a “knucklehead,” and that a lot of the criticism of his game and attitude was unjust. McGee, for all of his talent and ability, seems to always get lost in petty arguments, like just the other day when his own teammates were criticizing him for showboating in a blowout.
She also said: “My son is special. He has gifts you can’t teach: hands, height and heart. If I’m the Wizards and I’m really trying to build a franchise, really committed to rebuilding and developing, I would nurture that talent. I would help a kid like JaVale the best I could.”
I actually think, everything else aside, McGee could become an All-Star down the road. Tom Ziller of SBNation.com wrote earlier he believes McGee could command a four-year, $46-million deal to stay in Washinton past this season. A lot of money? There are plenty of teams that could use a legit seven-footer who can run and blocks shots.
Pamela McGee agrees, but she went just a little over the top. If McGee is going to continue to be ridiculed and brought down by the Wizards’ fan base and everything revolving around that organization, she doesn’t really want him to be there: “I don’t want him to get institutionalized to losing. My son is the future of the NBA. I don’t want him to be part of this culture of losing forever.”
What do you think the Wizards should do with McGee?
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