NBA Power Rankings: All 30 Starting Centers

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Feb 3, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee sits on the sidelines during the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

17. JaVale McGee — Denver Nuggets

Just throw my name up on the Shaqtin’ a Fool bulletin board, and make it a joke. Yep, it’s true, I’ll be sitting right next to McGee’s face, something that’s been stuck on Shaq’s famous wall since he came into the league as a Wizard in 2008.

Injuries murdered Brian Shaw‘s Nuggets for the entirety of last season, and ruined their shot at reaching the West’s final playoff spot. With their electrically quick point guard in Ty Lawson, there’s no way imaginable that they shouldn’t have been in the conversation for the eighth spot.

Pain strikes players and teams every year, and it just wasn’t Denver’s time to shine in the Mile High City. McGee was sidelined for the entire season with a stress fracture in his left leg after playing just five games, so it didn’t take long for the shock to deeply hit Denver.

He’s not just a comical player to watch. He actually has the right tools to be successful in a league where defenders are getting rewarded mightily by the year. Why is that? It’s actually amusing. Professional basketball is becoming such an offensive player’s league — with the rule changes favoring the ball handler, and fouls being called more than ever at the rim — that defending your opponent cleanly and being distinguished at it is a rare trait.

McGee may not have been a double-digit scoring center for the Nuggets prior to the injury, but he did come off the bench for 79 games in 2012-13, shooting 58 percent for the season. That was in only 18 minutes a night, but he accomplished a great deal in that amount of time, surprisingly.

Also, the last time he played consistently, McGee was a top 10 center in True Shooting Percentage (58.9 percent). If you eliminate the guys in that group of 10 that aren’t starters this upcoming year, McGee was just sixth overall, behind Chandler, Valanciunas, Bosh, Jordan, and Splitter.

I believe he’s ready for the uprising, and the elevated attention of Kenneth Faried from Team USA will complement him in the frontcourt. Let the Nuggets run wide open, and let them score. McGee will clean up the mess.