Denver Nuggets

Report: Team USA chose JaVale McGee over Christian Wood for final roster spot

Published by
Orel Dizon

After Kevin Love dropped out of Team USA with the Olympics right around the corner, USA Basketball needed to immediately look for a replacement big man. It went with Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, another candidate was reportedly Houston Rockets rising star Christian Wood.

“Christian Wood would have come, but they went with JaVale McGee first,” the insider said in a recent episode of his own podcast.

The selection of McGee caught many people by surprise, as several other players could have given the national team more offensive firepower. However, head coach Gregg Popovich defended his choice by saying that the veteran center was the best fit with the current Team USA roster.

McGee’s rebounding and defensive skills could actually benefit a team that only has Bam Adebayo and Draymond Green as its true big men.

He is also a proven winner after winning three championships, two with the Golden State Warriors and one with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

Orel Dizon

Orel's passion for sports stems from following Michael Jordan’s last title runs with the Chicago Bulls and his namesake Orel Hershiser’s Cleveland Indians tenure in the late 1990s.

Published by
Orel Dizon

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