How good was Tracy McGrady actually? (vid)

[90sgoat]

Looked more like Ant in those clips, but what do I know.

[Soundwave]

Should have stayed in Toronto, even Kobe basically told him that.

The irony is, in the years following, players would willingly start taking less money to super-team. McGrady willingly left a situation with he had another superstar to play with (Vince Carter) and the team was on the rise. Like Orlando dude? Shaq and Penny both left and that's where you go?

[Phoenix]

Should have stayed in Toronto, even Kobe basically told him that.

The irony is, in the years following, players would willingly start taking less money to super-team. McGrady willingly left a situation with he had another superstar to play with (Vince Carter) and the team was on the rise. Like Orlando dude? Shaq and Penny both left and that's where you go?

Would have been interesting if he stayed. The Raptors likely would have been the sacrificial lambs in the Finals against LA or the Spurs instead of the Nets.

[ShawkFactory]

Should have stayed in Toronto, even Kobe basically told him that.

The irony is, in the years following, players would willingly start taking less money to super-team. McGrady willingly left a situation with he had another superstar to play with (Vince Carter) and the team was on the rise. Like Orlando dude? Shaq and Penny both left and that's where you go?

Well they got Grant Hill who was still an all star player and were very close to have Duncan as well. In retrospect it's easy to say it was a bad call but at the time it looked like a good move. Not his fault everything fell apart.

[Phoenix]

Well they got Grant Hill who was still an all star player and were very close to have Duncan as well. In retrospect it's easy to say it was a bad call but at the time it looked like a good move. Not his fault everything fell apart.

Now THAT would have been interesting. That trio may have netted a few titles if everyone was healthy.

[Carbine]

Yeah Grant was a bonafide top 5 type player at the time when he joined Orlando.

From reports Duncan would have signed the dotted lines to join the Magic that same off season as well (Duncan and mac were both adidas guys) if the Magic would have let Duncans family come on the plane rides. They didn't, so it made his decision to go back to the Spurs an easy one.

[90sgoat]

If he didn't like Toronto then he didn't like it.

I get it totally, Toronto seems like a boring city with shit weather. Rather play in Utah and Denver, at least they have mountains.

[BarberSchool]

McGrady had top 10 all time talent. Maybe top 8. Just didn’t get there.

[Soundwave]

I mean the fact is McGrady has said he made a mistake in not staying in Toronto himself. He said Kobe Bryant told him straight up they would have been playing the Raptors in the Finals.

It's dumb to leave a guaranteed situation that's going good like that, he tempted fate, the basketball gods slapped him in the face.

It was a stupid era in NBA history, players like Stephon Marbury looking off having like Kevin Garnett as a teammate to go play elsewhere, and then their career never really panned out the way it was hyped to be.

Classic case of overthinking things and having too many stupid people in your ear as a young person and having it blow up in your face as a result.

[SouBeachTalents]

I mean the fact is McGrady has said he made a mistake in not staying in Toronto himself. He said Kobe Bryant told him straight up they would have been playing the Raptors in the Finals.

It's dumb to leave a guaranteed situation that's going good like that, he tempted fate, the basketball gods slapped him in the face.

It was a stupid era in NBA history, players like Stephon Marbury looking off having like Kevin Garnett as a teammate to go play elsewhere, and then their career never really panned out the way it was hyped to be.

Classic case of overthinking things and having too many stupid people in your ear as a young person and having it blow up in your face as a result.

It's easy to say this so confidently in hindsight. When he signed with Orlando he was joining a top 10 player in Hill, and if not for Doc stupidly telling him his family couldn't travel on the team's plane, Duncan was likely going to sign there too. Even with Hill's injuries, McGrady & Duncan are definitely winning at least one title together, if not more.

[Im Still Ballin]

Tracy McGrady pre-draft scouting reports:

listed at 6'8", 200
closer to 6'7", 180

Another high school player with tremendous physical ability but not
much of a clue about how to really play the game of basketball.

McGrady likes to compare himself to Penny Hardaway. I can see that a
little bit, but Penny played PG as he grew up -- it's not clear that
McGrady played organized basketball.

McGrady is an amazingly gifted athlete. He moves gracefully, has very
good quickness, and jumps very well. He has a smooth shot that appears
fundamentally sound. He is athletic around the hoop, able to contort his
body to get looks at the basket in heavy traffic.

Offensively, he has great potential with his shooting. He could be a
tremendous offensive rebounder. However, he doesn't move without the ball.
Period. Perhaps that's a fault of his high school coaching. It's a big
weakness in his game.

Defensively, he again has great potential. He does a decent job on defense
when he tries, but nothing exceptional, except shot blocking. McGrady
has a lot of work to do on the defensive end of the court. He doesn't
box out very much, either.

Ballhandling is above averae for a high school senior his size. Nothing
remarkable, though.

McGrady is certainly an intriguing player for a NBA team to draft. He
has great potential, but has really only had one year of great play in
high school to base a decision on. He could become a great 2 or 3 in
the league. Most any team would have to wait a minimum of a year, perhaps
two, before getting any feedback.

In comparing him to the other recent high school seniors who've made the
NBA, McGrady compares most closely to Jermaine O'Neal. Physically, he
probably approaches Garnett, but he doesn't have Garnett's size or feel
for the game.

This kid has great potiential in playing the 2-3 postions his play at the
magic's all-stars was borderline. His stats of his junior year in a weak
divioson of flordia basketball were he played were 22.3 PPG, 15.0 RPG,
and 9.0 BPG indicates pretty strong game . But like I said he played in a
weak comference. During the summer he went to various h.s. camps at the
addias basketball camp he was a virtual unknown. His national rank was
#175 and moving up he tore up the league out playing some of the best at
his postion like lamar odom. He earned MVP at the camp he then transfered
to a private school MOUNT ZION CHRISTIAN and dominated the higher level
of competion by averaging 22.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.5 APG, 2.7 SPG, 2.1 BPG
while leading his team to a 26-2 record. MCGRADY WANTS TO EXCEED

Tracy is an unbeliavable athlete. I saw him in a tournament back in Florida
and he was truly impressive. He threw down the most amazing dunks in real
game situations, not to mention his performance in the dunk contest. Was more
impressive athletiacally than former Floridians Vince Carter and Eddie Jones.
Has excellent ocurt presence and uncanny ball-handling ability for a man of
his size, not to mention nice touch on his jumper, but where he excels is in
the transition game where he runs like a gazelle and finshes spectacularly
with authority in traffic. But, for all his potential, he sill needs to under
stand the finer points of the game... fundamental man-to-man defense (in high
school he would just block everybody's shot with athletic ability but that
will not be the case in the NBA), offensive movement (without the ball he is a
stationary player and will need to move around if he wants to be a successfull
wing player in the NBA). But ovreall, if given time to mature, and if he is
allowed to play up-and-down open court basketball, Tracy McGrady can be a
star!!!

[90sgoat]

On point scouting.

Back in the day people didn't fanboy like they did with Lebron and Wemby, but told it like it was.

McGrady could not play off ball at all.