Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant are two of the most iconic scorers of the early 2000s. While Kobe Bryant was talented, his career was built upon working harder and competing for more than anyone else around him. McGrady was a bit different, he was naturally gifted, one of those players that were the best on the court just thanks to his amazing abilities.
Tracy McGrady revealed once that he didn’t even practice all that much; he was just the man when it was time to play the game. But eventually, injuries took their toll on him, and it’s safe to say that Kobe Bryant went on to have a vastly more successful career. The two started together, they were even friends when they were teenagers, with McGrady living with Kobe and his parents for a while.
Tracy McGrady Spoke About How Kobe Bryant Helped Him Make $100 Million
By the time he had won his first three championships alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant had become one of the faces of the NBA. Once Shaq left the Lakers and Kobe really took over the whole situation, he became an even bigger brand name.
As such, the biggest brands were wanting Kobe to sign with them, and he was with Adidas. However, his relationship with Adidas failed after a point, and he apparently left a $200 million deal on the table. And this helped McGrady, who spoke about it earlier this year.
Tracy McGrady:
“Kobe was about to sign a $200M deal with Adidas. Who was next in line? I was like, Kob, thank you, brother.. I’m glad you turned down that $200M because you left me a $100M, bro!”
(via @SLAMonline) pic.twitter.com/a3X8PBqdPd
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 8, 2022
“Kobe was about to sign a $200M deal with Adidas. Who was next in line? I was like, Kob, thank you, brother.. I’m glad you turned down that $200M because you left me a $100M, bro!”
T-Mac’s career didn’t last as long as a lot of his peers, thanks to injuries, so these big deals he signed in his prime were very important for him. There’s no doubt that he felt grateful to Bryant at that moment, even though Kobe didn’t really make his decisions based on how it would help someone else.
Ultimately, Kobe would end up going with Nike, with whom he enjoyed a really successful partnership that proved profitable for both parties. Even though it has been a while since his tragic passing, stories of Kobe keep coming to light even now. He was a huge influence on so many NBA stars, the Mamba will never be forgotten.
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