JaVale McGee has been giving fans an insightful look into the NBA’s bubble through his vlog, “Life in the Bubble.” The first episode detailed what it was like for McGee to leave for Orlando, while the second episode gave an inside look at a Los Angeles Lakers practice.
In the newest installment, it starts with McGee heading down the hotel to take his coronavirus (COVID-19) test, but has to go back after realizing he forgot to wear a mask. He later runs in Dwight Howard and Danny Green who are also on their way to testing.
The vlog then cuts to the testing site in the lobby, where McGee as administered an oral swab test followed by the nasal swab. On his way to eat, he comes across former Golden State Warriors teammate and current Miami Heat forward, Andre Iguodala.
In one of the dining rooms, the center goes over his meal for the day that includes a cauliflower steak that he does not enjoy. Afterwards, McGee goes back upstairs to his room to get ready for practice and shows the audience a look at the Lakers’s equipment after running into Andrew Henk, the team’s head equipment manager.
McGee gives us a short glimpse of his workout and then begins his walk to the bus that will take him to the Lakers practice. Once there, we get a look at the practice floor as well as some interactions among the players, notably between McGee and Howard.
The video skips ahead to after practice where McGee films Quinn Cook, Dion Waiters, and JR Smith shooting around followed by a scene with him on a bike revealing he was 22 years old when he found out he had asthma. The video soon ends with him recapping the day.
McGee feels safe in bubble
It was a fair question as to whether not McGee would join the NBA’s restart in Orlando because of his asthma.
With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic currently still escalating on a daily basis, McGee had genuine concerns about playing in the bubble. However, he said that he felt the need to play because of the Lakers’s goal.
“I feel like the first thing that weighed in the most was being away from my family for two months. That was the main thing,” McGee said.
“Second, was definitely my asthma. Didn’t want anything to happen with that. But I’ve been so focused all year on one goal and that’s winning an NBA championship. If I go through how I’ve been my whole life, I have asthma and could’ve quit then. I feel like I’ve just got to keep going.”
“That’s the best thing for me, is to keep focusing on what I can control right now. The NBA has taken a lot of precautions when it comes to COVID, everything that they’re doing is top notch, so I feel pretty safe.”
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