Mystery McGee

Javale McGee has the size and pedigree to be an NBA player. The bigger questions surround his skill, strength, and intestinal fortitude. A legitimate seven-footer, Mr. McGee is projected as a first-rounder with nice potential, but his value appears to be dropping day by day. It looks like he will be available when the Sixers pick. Will JaVale be Philly-bound?

Name: JaVale McGee
DOB: 1/19/1988
Height: 7ft.
Weight: 237 lbs.
Skin: Darker than mine, lighter than Big Firm

What He Offers: Great name, great size.....did I already say great name? McGee is intriguing because he is big and has some nice raw skills. He moves well and has a nice post-up game, along with athleticism and ball-handling ability rare for a big man. He's the son of Pam McGee, a former USC star and WNBA player, so if drafted by Philly look for an exceedingly tall Black woman at the Wachovia Center next year.

Question Marks: Is he strong enough to play inside in the NBA? Can he beat his own mother in one-on-one? I'm more concerned about the second question than the first.

Will He Be There?: All signs point to yes. His workouts have been less than spectacular and the Sixers will certainly have the chance to nab him if they choose.

If The Sixers Draft Him: I will be cautiously optimistic. When it comes to big guys I prefer nasty to natural. Reggie Evans, for example, has very little natural ability, isn't that big, and has fewer skills than K-Fed, yet Uncle Reg makes himself known due to his all-out relentlessness. If JaVale has some fight in him, he could be a good player. It's unclear whether or not he's willing to be nasty as he aughta be.

Big Picture: JaVale McGee may prosper in the NBA. It may be with the Sixers. But at this point, as a proponent of taking the best available player, I would be underwhelmed with this choice. I think there are more talented players, and some with equal size, as Mystery McGee.


Free Willie: The Willie Randolph era ended with all the dysfunction I've come to expect from the New York Mess. A quick word to Willie: be thankful you got canned now, before the All-Star break, in time to enjoy the summer with your family, far away from the pressure and pain of New York City. You got a bit of a raw deal, and I'll be sad to see you go, because as long as you remained manager of the Mess my Phillies were assured the upper hand. Go now Willie, you are free, free to roam the earth without ever having to wonder which crappy reliever will have to face Pat Burrell at the end of a close game.

Draft Note: Chase Budinger decided to stay in school rather than stay in the draft. This means I will no longer be writing about his stankin-ass.