Wow! Possibly joining the Beijing team! A three-time NBA champion center

Wow.

The Beijing team is currently contacting McGee, and if the talks succeed, he could compete in the second stage of the CBA season.

This season, McGee has been playing in the Australian NBL. While with the Hawks, he posted comprehensive stats of 21.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. Nearly 38 years old, he continues to wreak havoc in leagues beyond the NBA.

With Zhou Qi and McGee, Beijing will form an NBA-level and CBA’s most impenetrable defensive zone. They currently hold a 9-2 record, ranking fifth in the league, behind Shanghai (10-2), Guangdong (10-2), Guangsha (9-2), and Qingdao (8-4).

McGee was born on January 19, 1988. Standing 2.13 meters tall with a 2.29-meter wingspan, he is a super talented physical specimen. Drafted 18th overall in the first round of 2008, his basketball IQ prevented him from fully realizing his potential in the NBA, but he still managed to play for 16 years thanks to historic-level athleticism.During that time, he won three NBA championships and earned a gold medal with the USA men’s basketball team at the Olympics.

Throughout his NBA career, McGee played for the Wizards, Nuggets, 76ers, Mavericks, Warriors, Lakers, Cavaliers, Suns, and Kings. He averaged 16.1 minutes per game in the regular season, contributing 7.6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks with a shooting percentage of 57.8%. In the playoffs, he averaged 12.4 minutes, 5.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block, shooting at 61.6%.

According to incomplete statistics, his total NBA career earnings are about $90.5 million, with his largest contract being a four-year, $44 million deal signed with the Nuggets in the summer of 2021. His income was quite substantial, but who would ever complain about making more money? Since 2024, he has been playing across various overseas leagues to earn, so joining the CBA is quite reasonable.

But don’t pop the champagne halfway through, thinking McGee will easily dominate the CBA. The painful lesson of Harrell, who also made a name in the NBA and played in the NBL, is still fresh. Last season with Xinjiang, Harrell averaged 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in the regular season, but only 10.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in the playoffs, earning the label of a disappointment.

In short, the CBA is not easy to conquer. Many big names have come in smiling and left crying after facing harsh realities.