Former Miami Heat guard Jason Williams believes that Tracy McGrady could have been the greatest basketball player of all time if he had possessed Kobe Bryant’s work ethic.
Former Heat guard thinks if Tracy McGrady worked like Kobe Bryant he might’ve been the best ever: https://t.co/tJHoS47LIg
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 27, 2024
McGrady, a Hall of Famer, was a two-time scoring champion and a seven-time All-Star and All-NBA selection.
He led the league in scoring during the 2002-03 season with impressive shooting percentages. Williams feels that McGrady doesn’t receive enough recognition for his abilities.
However, McGrady’s career was plagued by injuries, including issues with his back, left shoulder, and left knee. These injuries limited his playing time and affected his performance.
Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr. (born May 24, 1979), nicknamed T-Mac, is an American former professional basketball player, best known for his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
McGrady is a seven-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, two-time NBA scoring champion, and winner of the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2001.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2017. McGrady is regarded as one of the greatest scorers and shooting guards in NBA history.
McGrady entered the NBA straight out of high school and was selected as the ninth overall pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 1997 NBA draft.
Beginning his career as a low-minute player, he gradually improved his role with the team, eventually forming a duo with his cousin Vince Carter.
In 2000, he left the Raptors for the Orlando Magic, where he became one of the league’s most prolific scorers and a candidate for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.
In 2004, he was traded to the Houston Rockets, where he paired with center Yao Ming to help the Rockets become a perennial playoff team.
His final seasons in the NBA were plagued by injuries, and he retired in 2013 following a brief stint with the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the San Antonio Spurs.
Since retiring, McGrady has worked as a basketball analyst for ESPN. From April to July 2014, he realized his dream of playing professional baseball, pitching for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Despite his talent, McGrady was never the same player after the injuries. In comparison, Bryant, known for his work ethic, had a long and successful career, appearing in 18 All-Star games.
While it’s impossible to predict the exact outcome, Williams believes that McGrady could have achieved even greater success with Bryant’s work ethic.
McGrady retired with an impressive average of 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
Fans reacted as follows.
Just ignoring all his injuries???
— Adam☘️ (@CelticsAdam34) March 27, 2024
No one worked like Kobe. Thats what made him The Mamba
— Josh Hatch (@jhatchlife) March 27, 2024
What if Michael Jordan missed that shot to beat Utah? we don’t live by what if’s. Kobe the 2nd best Player of All Time… Tmac was a beast tho
— NYCDaFuture (@NYCDaFuture_) March 27, 2024
This statement oversimplifies the complex factors that contribute to an athlete's success and overlooks Tracy McGrady's unique talents and contributions to the game of basketball.
— Nadir Sameed (@NadirSameed) March 27, 2024
Maybe cause Kobe has trained for 20 hours straight before…
— BrickMoose (@1BrickMoose) March 27, 2024
Tracy McGrady rising star
— 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑓 𝑘𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑟𝑖🦅 (@YousafKashmiri5) March 27, 2024
nah mj and kobe will remain on the top
— Natasha 💞 (@nastashaxxoxo) March 27, 2024
His injuries is what really killed him. Staying healthy is a skill and also luck
— 優木 せつ菜|7th Timeloop SZN (@NijigasakiIove) March 27, 2024
He’s really in the hall of fame for what he could’ve been
— HollowFrobe (@the_only6) March 27, 2024
If he was just a little taller he would've been unstoppable
— Luna Ray (@adaleeea) March 27, 2024
Tracy will have a bigger legacy than kobe, he is a rising star
— Patman🗿 (@Untd59) March 27, 2024
Kobe is Kobe but remember Tmac was hurt all the time. That’s what kept him from being known as a great but still wouldn’t have been Kobe and TMac is my fav player ever
— Mike (@powersmj89) March 27, 2024
TMAC had moments where he was the best and then he had injuries and they just piled up.
— Kings Fan Chris (@ChrisKingsFan) March 27, 2024
Nah, T-Mac was sensational and was a nonstop scoring machine. It was injuries that damaged his career.
— Bball Lounge 🚀🥊 🇩🇴 (@Ideas2Film) March 27, 2024
T-Mac scored 13 points in 33 seconds pic.twitter.com/ZtAVdy53Sj
— Max Powers (@MaxPowers44) March 27, 2024
If he wasn’t injured all the time he could be better then Kobe
— 2Kenthusiast🏀 (@2K24EVO) March 27, 2024
It’s not that @Tmac_213 didn’t worked hard, his injuries just caught up to him. Scoliosis sucks especially for athletes
— Tim陳Chan (@Tim_Chan) March 27, 2024
Work? TMac was as good as Kobe the guy just couldn't stay healthy consistently
— Kev (elsewhere for the Pricefield) (@breakingdead1) March 27, 2024
Prime T-Mac's skills were right up there with Prime Kobe's skills pic.twitter.com/3ndkTu2Byz
— Max Powers (@MaxPowers44) March 27, 2024
