Former NBA big man JaVale McGee’s stint with the Los Angeles Lakers was brief albeit memorable. He was a member of the storied franchise for just two seasons, yet he helped the Lakers win their 17th title in franchise history in 2020 in that time.
On top of his effective two-way play on the court in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, he also did something notable off the court during that time, and that was upload vlogs to YouTube about the Lakers’ journey in the NBA bubble.
A video of former Lakers players Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith seemingly off the influence of something after the Lakers captured the 2020 NBA title has gone viral lately, and none other than McGee was the one who filmed that clip. He has since boldly claimed on X that he was the first NBA streamer.
Dion Waiters & JR Smith fried after the Lakers’ 2020 championship was pure comedy:
Waiters: “I’m Champ Cheese… Mr. Bet on yourself and double tf down.”
JR Smith: “I quadrupled down.” 😭
(🎥 @JaValeMcGee on Youtube) pic.twitter.com/Yn1nH7rlTp
— Lakers Better (@LakersBetter) June 5, 2025
Nobody talks about the fact i was the 1st NBA streamer for real… i low key streamed the bubble… i just edited it and uploaded to youtube… but it def was streamer energy! https://t.co/VBIXvW6zs5
— Javale PIERRE 3Xs McGee (@JaValeMcGee) June 5, 2025
McGee uploaded 19 vlogs in total about the Lakers’ stint in the NBA bubble to YouTube. Granted, he isn’t all that active on the platform now, though, as he hasn’t posted a new video to his channel in a while.
He appeared in 14 games for the Lakers during their title run at the beginning of the decade, and he started 11 of those contests. He averaged just 2.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game, but his impact went beyond the stat sheet.
McGee’s time as a Laker ended not long after the Lakers won the 2020 championship, and he last played in the best basketball league in the world with the Sacramento Kings in the 2023-24 regular season. He suited up in 46 games with Sacramento and didn’t log a single start.
Nowadays, a number of current and former NBA players create their own media content, whether it be videos on TikTok or podcast episodes. Golden State Warriors big man Draymond Green and Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George are two of the bigger names in the league today who host podcasts.
It might be hyperbolic for McGee to credit himself for such an unprecedented role in the NBA bubble, but he does deserve some credit for dipping his toes in content creation before plenty of other NBA players did.