Lakers' bubble champion not returning to NBA, instead signs contract Down Under

There's never been another NBA season like the 2019-20 campaign. 

A four-month break in the middle, and a playoffs conducted entirely in a bubble as the world dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the end of that elongated season, the Los Angeles Lakers were the most unique champions in NBA history.

And one of their most unique players, JaVale McGee, earned his third ring in the process.

McGee had previously won two titles with the Golden State Warriors.

Now, McGee is heading to Australia to continue his basketball career with the NBL's Illawara Hawks.

ESPN's Olgun Uluc reports that McGee has reached a one-year agreement with the Hawks.

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McGee is now 37 years old.

He has played in 909 NBA games and represented nine different teams: the Warriors, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, Mavericks, Suns, Kings, Cavs and 76ers.

In addition to his rings, McGee was a 2021 Olympic gold medalist.

In his NBA career, McGee has averaged 7.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in 16.1 minutes a night. If you extrapolate that out to starting minutes, those are huge averages.

McGee last played in the league in 2023-24 for the Kings, appearing in 46 games.

Last season, McGee suited up for Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico, where he averaged 17.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

In the NBL, Illawara is the defending champion, so it's a big-time team that McGee is joining.

He may never get another chance in the NBA, but what a fun legacy he left for a variety of teams across the association.

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