CHARACTER COUNTS

JaVale McGee takes BP ahead of charity softball game at Chase Field

May 28, 2022, 7:00 AM

PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns center JaVale McGee will host his Water For Life Charity Softball Game at Chase Field on June 22, and tickets are already on sale.

Teammates Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Mikal Bridges are listed as tentative participants for the event.

Other participants will be announced at a later date.

To promote the sixth annual game, McGee took some batting practice at Chase Field on Friday prior to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Felt good, felt real good. Locked in,” McGee said of his swings. “I can’t imagine a real like fastball 99 miles an hour coming at your face. I can’t believe that one. That’s crazy.”

“You can tell why they’re pros,” he added. “I know people watch basketball games (and be) like, ‘I could do that!’ Yeah, until they see a seven-footer.”

McGee snagged some fly balls as well.

All of this came before his second first pitch at a D-backs game.

Proceeds for the charity softball game will benefit McGee’s Juglife Foundation, which attempts to help the worldwide water crisis. Two goals to help with that initiative, according to the Juglife website, are “providing clean, safe drinking water in underdeveloped areas of the world” and “promoting water as the best choice for an active and healthy lifestyle.”

Gates at Chase Field for the game will open at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22.

McGee just finished his first season with the Suns.

He appeared in 74 games with 17 starts in the regular season. The 7-footer averaged 9.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 15.8 minutes per game.

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JaVale McGee takes BP ahead of charity softball game at Chase Field