JaVale McGee Born into Basketball - Run Your Race

In this week’s episode of “Run Your Race” Theo Pinson rides solo in his conversation with Olympic Gold Medalist, and 3 time NBA Champion, JaVale McGee. Born into a basketball family, JaVale has been around the game since birth, thanks mainly in part to his Olympic Gold-Medalist and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame mother, Pamela McGee. It’s worth it to note, that Ms. McGee was the first WNBA mother to have a son and a daughter (Imani McGee-Stafford) drafted into the NBA and WNBA, respectively, and is the only Olympic Gold Medalist to give birth to an Olympian in basketball, which JaVale became during the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. 

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Being a part of some iconic teams and Championship runs, JaVale talks candidly about the highs and lows with the Warriors and the Lakers.  Speaking specifically on his time with Golden State, the drive to win attitude the team focused on and the magic that is Klay Thompson. “Klay’s shots are different than everybody else’s…Klay doesn’t need to dribble his shots” says McGee on the iconic play by Thompson where he dropped 61 on 11 dribbles.

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JaVale talks about his time as a starter for the Lakers, what a blessing it was, and where he had the best year of his playing career, but even as he won a Championship with this storied franchise, in the “Bubble Season” of 2020, realizing how badly his mental health was affected and how truly unhappy he was within the “NBA Bubble”.  McGee even admits that he probably didn’t even realize at the time how unhappy and depressed he was, and the importance he places on his mental health since.  

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The pride of representing his country in the 2021 Olympics and bringing home gold, and his unique relationship and collaboration with Justin Bieber which garnered him at Grammy nomination, this is an episode that highlights what makes “Run Your Race” so special – the ability and understanding to not only love the game, but truly understand our favourite players beyond their stats.  

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Run Your Race is the ultimate intersection of basketball and business. Theo and AJ will take their listeners on a journey through stories of tragedy and triumph while shedding light on how they both have been able to stay around the game they love.  These two lifelong friends bring their explosive dynamic centerstage thanks to their knowledge of the League and infectious energy.

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