Tracy McGrady came off the bench and averaged just 5.2 points for the Atlanta Hawks this past season. Not very impressive.
However, let’s rewind about 9 years to when McGrady was a max-contract franchise player with a lifetime shoe deal with adidas and leading the NBA in scoring at 32.1 points per game! Many argued he was the best player in the league, with the potential to be a once-in-a-generation player, and with his 6’8″ frame, elite athleticism, and skill set, the idea wasn’t too far-fetched.
Now, let’s travel out west to a place known as LA LA land, and if you weren’t arguing in favor of McGrady being the best player in the league, it was because you believed a certain Laker was. That Laker was none other than the best player of the post-Jordan era, Kobe Bryant.
It’s easy to mock this topic now, knowing how both careers turned out, but it wasn’t in 2003. Kobe only had three championships that he “won because of Shaq,” no MVP awards, no 81-point game, none of the things that have put him in the conversation for top 5 player. Top 5 as in ever.
Back then, the Kobe Bryant vs. Tracy McGrady debate was great. Every time they went head-to-head, it was always one of the most exciting match-ups of the NBA season. Both were at their athletic peak, both always ended up with similar stats, and they always took turns guarding each other.
Here’s the famous game from 2003 when both of them went on to score 38 apiece. The Magic won this one 112-102.
Here’s another game from 2004, where they both scored 38. Tracy McGrady started hot in the first half, scoring 21 points, while Kobe finished the first half with just 1 point. The Magic were up by as much as 19 points at one point, and T-Mac started strong until Kobe took the challenge of guarding him. Kobe went on to score 37 points in the 2nd half and led the Lakers’ comeback to beat the Magic.
The debate was never-ending. T-Mac fans argued that McGrady was a superior scorer to Kobe because of his length and shooting stroke. Kobe fans argued that Kobe was the best all-around player in the NBA and a far superior defender. Unfortunately, McGrady’s career was plagued by serious injuries, and he never returned to the player he once was. All we are left with is what could’ve been and what ifs. Kobe, on the other hand, has gone on to have one of the most remarkable careers in the history of the game, and some even believe he has surpassed Michael Jordan’s global popularity. And in a few years, when the youngest NBA stars are being asked who their favorite player was growing up, I can guarantee you, a lot of the answers will be “Kobe” or “The Black Mamba.” Hopefully, we got some T-Mac ones too.