Title: Down Under, Above the Rim: JaVale McGee Joins Illawarra Hawks After 16-Year NBA Career 🇦🇺🏀
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — August 1, 2025
In a move that’s as headline-grabbing as it is historic, three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee is taking his high-flying talents to the Illawarra Hawks, the reigning kings of Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL).
After 16 seasons in the NBA, McGee has agreed to a one-year deal with Illawarra, league sources told ESPN. The signing marks one of the most high-profile additions in NBL history and a signal that the league continues its rise as a serious global destination for elite talent.
FROM NBA VETERAN TO NBL GAME-CHANGER
At 37 years old, McGee arrives in Australia with one of the most unique resumes in modern basketball:
16 NBA seasons
3 NBA titles (2 with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 & 2018, 1 with the Lakers in 2020)
Over 900 NBA games played
Career averages of 7.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game
McGee was never just a stat-line guy. He was the ultimate spark plug—a rim-running, shot-blocking, alley-oop-finishing 7-footer who impacted games in flashes of brilliance. But he was also a locker-room presence, a meme legend, and a player whose basketball IQ matured dramatically over his long career.
Now, he brings all of that experience to the Illawarra Hawks, a franchise that just capped a storybook NBL season by claiming their first championship since 2001. Led by head coach Jacob Jackomas and anchored by rising Aussie star Dyson Daniels, the Hawks are aiming not just to defend their title, but to go global in their reach—and McGee is step one.
WHY ILLAWARRA? WHY NOW?
Sources close to McGee say the decision was about more than basketball. He’s been exploring opportunities in coaching, mentorship, and content creation, and sees the NBL as a hybrid runway for all three.
“JaVale didn’t want to sit on the end of an NBA bench anymore,” one agent noted. “He wanted to play meaningful minutes, mentor young talent, and be part of a winning culture. Illawarra offered all of that.”
In many ways, the move mirrors what Andrew Bogut did with the Sydney Kings in 2018—bringing legitimacy, visibility, and veteran savvy to the Australian game.
THE IMPACT DOWN UNDER
For Illawarra, McGee is more than a signing—he’s a statement. His arrival means more packed stadiums, more eyes from international scouts, and, perhaps most importantly, more confidence for NBL hopefuls that the league is truly global.
“Adding someone of JaVale’s pedigree speaks volumes about how far the NBL has come,” said NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger. “We’re not just developing talent for the NBA anymore—we’re attracting it.”
McGee is expected to make his debut in the 2025–26 NBL preseason showcase in Brisbane later this month. Fans are already flooding social media with excitement, coining hashtags like #McGeeDownUnder and #BlockPartyIllawarra. The team shop’s website even briefly crashed after dropping his No. 34 Hawks jersey.
LEGACY IN MOTION
While some veterans fade quietly into retirement, McGee is doing what he’s always done—defying expectations. From his early days on “Shaqtin’ a Fool” to hoisting NBA trophies and now donning an Illawarra jersey, he’s carved out one of basketball’s most unpredictable—and oddly poetic—career arcs.
One thing’s for sure: when JaVale McGee steps onto the court at the WIN Entertainment Centre, the energy will shift. Australia is about to witness what NBA fans have known for over a decade—you never know what JaVale might do next, but it’s always worth watching.
JaVale McGee, welcome to the NBL. The air just got a little thinner above the rim. 🇦🇺🔥
