Derek Fisher and Billy Hunter unhappy with JaVale McGee’s comments – NBA Update
Washington Wizards center, JaVale McGee is only a decent player who often chips in with few points but nothing too extraordinary.
He has never quite managed to make headlines as a player however since last two days, he has captured significant shine and is all over the media for a pulling of a stunt that has aggravated his own player’s union.
Billy Hunter and Derek Fisher have been stressing on the need for players to be united since the start of the lockout for obvious reasons. And players have been following their commands until Friday, when JaVale McGee got carried
away and made an opinion that would haunt him for remainder of his life.
Last Friday, a meeting between 30 NBA players and Player’s union was held to brief the players about the future strategies in the NBA lockout. McGee was also present in the meeting but left it an hour ago before it ended. While
leaving, media surrounded him and asked him to shed some light on the particulars of meeting to which he replied
"There's definitely some guys in there saying that they're ready to fold, but . . . the majority of guys are willing to stand strong”
These words of his have been a cause of Player’s Union uproar and embarrassment at the same time as it is a major setback for players and their cause. This in a way has sent a message to NBA that Union is the recessive one between
both parties and crumbling to pressure by NBA.
Derek Fisher denied the notion that players are not united almost immediately and criticized JaVale saying:
“The person who spends the least amount of time in the room can't make that statement."
Billy Hunter also showed his displeasure over McGee’s comments adding:
“It was a shame he left so soon, as it turned out, the pacifists in the room happened to be me and Derek. The guys behind us,” referring to the other players at the meeting who attended the news conference, “are extremely strident
and they thought we had started to weaken.”
Union comprises of 450 members and JaVale is the first person to voice out the opinion that players are not united, so I think this would not affect the Union’s position majorly when they sit on the same table with NBA in the presence
of federal mediator. However, NBA at the back of their mind would be knowing Union are hurt so they might exploit it.
Stern has already warned that if a deal is not reached by Tuesday, whole season will be cancelled so tommorow’s meeting is going to be critical.
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