After D’Angelo Russell, another former NBA player is signing with the Shanghai Sharks in the Chinese Basketball Association.
According to BasketNews, JaVale McGee has officially formed a deadly duo with Russell in Shanghai for this upcoming season as the Sharks bid to win back-to-back CBA championships.
“Three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee has officially joined the Shanghai Sharks, putting two longtime NBA veterans on the same CBA roster after the Chinese club also signed guard D’Angelo Russell,” BasketNews reported.
McGee and Russell were never teammates in the NBA, though they played with the same teams over the course of their respective careers.
They played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks. McGee also played for the Washington Wizards, while Russell spent the second half of last season there but never played a game for the Wizards.
McGee’s NBA Career
JaVale McGee is a 16-year NBA veteran.
In addition to the teams mentioned above, McGee has also played for the Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings.
McGee has career averages of 7.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 909 games. He won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018 and one ring with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
After no NBA offers in the summer of 2025, McGee took his talents overseas. He has played for the Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico, the Illawarra Hawks in Australia and the Beijing Ducks in China over the past two seasons.
In 26 games for the Ducks last season, McGee averaged 11.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
McGee helped the Ducks reach the CBA semifinals, but they lost to the Shanghai Sharks 3-1 in the best-of-five series.
Russell’s NBA Career
D’Angelo Russell was in the NBA for 11 seasons. He also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves during his career in addition to the teams mentioned above.
Russell was acquired by the Memphis Grizzlies from the Washington Wizards this offseason as part of a six-team, 11-player trade. The Grizzlies waived him on September 25, leading to his exit from the league and moving overseas in China.
In 11 NBA seasons, Russell averaged 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He was a one-time All-Star with the Nets in 2019, but he was unable to sustain his individual success.
His minutes dwindled down over the past two seasons, with the Wizards choosing to not play him upon acquiring him at the trade deadline.
2-Time Golden State Warriors Champion Teams Up With D’Angelo Russell in China