With Tracy “T-Mac” McGrady recently announcing his official retirement from the NBA, he has wasted no time in reflecting on the career he had that was filled with a lot of ups-and-downs. McGrady was one of the most talented players to ever step foot in the NBA, but because he battled multiple injuries during his prime, his career had to be cut shorter than he intended.
Regardless of the challenges that he faced throughout his career, T-Mac firmly believes that he was as good as Kobe Bryant (and perhaps even better) when he was at his best.
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McGrady told FOX Sports Radio’s Jay Mohr Sports on Wednesday:
“Numbers don’t lie. I was in the conversation of being one of the best in the league. Whether I was better than Kobe, or he was better than me … I was in the conversation and it didn’t matter at the time. I was playing at a high level and was very confident when I was on the court.”
McGrady went on further to say that if he had played with Shaq during his prime, they would have won titles while getting along, unlike Kobe’s relationship with Shaq.
“We would have had a great run,” McGrady said about Shaq. “I don’t know how many but, I know it would have never ended like it did with he and Kobe. I have a great relationship with Shaq.”
Truthfully, we will never know how good McGrady could have been had he stayed healthy or been in the same position as Kobe since it’s all speculation. Shaq and Kobe may not have clicked off the court, but to an extent, that worked to their benefit because they meant business when the lights came on. Hence, earning three championships in five years.
What remains true is that McGrady and Kobe had such a respect for each other as competitors throughout their careers, and they’ll always appreciate the battles they had on the court against each other.
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