NBA legend Tracy McGrady will always be recognized as one of the NBA’s greatest high-volume scorers. During his prime from 2000-2008, he averaged 26.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game on 43% shooting. Unfortunately, he was never able to win a championship in his career, and it remains the biggest blemish on his otherwise impressive resume.
According to McGrady himself, he thought they had a real chance to win it all after the Rockets acquired Metta World Peace in 2009, but he says that injuries ultimately held his team back from reaching their true potential.
“When we finally get a team where I think we can compete for a championship because it was 2009, I think, we added Ron Artest (Metta World Peace). I’m like, ‘We got a championship team.’ My knee blows out. Now all these years I’ve been fighting, trying to win a championship. This is the year I feel I had the best team I ever had in my career… and I’m damaged goods.”
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The Rockets managed to finish 3rd in the West that year despite T-mac only playing 35 games. Thanks to guys like Dikembe Mutombo, Kyle Lowry, and (of course) Yao Ming, they would go on to make the Western Conference Semi-Finals and take the Lakers to 7 games before ultimately losing the series.
McGrady was never the same after that run, and that Rockets core split up after the series loss, with Metta heading to Los Angeles to team up with Kobe Bryant.
McGrady Says He’s Rather Be A Hall Of Famer Than An NBA Champion
It’s not easy to win in the NBA, and usually, it’s only the stars that win multiple times that get considered among the best of the best. McGrady, with zero championships, falls into the same group as guys like Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson.
“Depends on who I am as a player; that means a lot to me. You know what I mean? It depends on who I am as a player. Now, if you’re talkin’ bout prime T-Mac, hell yeah. Because I know if I’m prime T-Mac to win the championship, then I’m destined for the Hall of Fame, you dig. So absolutely, any day,” McGrady said, via Basketball Network. “But, if you’re not gonna surround me to be on the championship team, nah, I want the Hall of Fame, I want the Fall of Fame forever. Because in my prime, you didn’t surround me with that, so now I’m chasing at the end? Nah, heck nah,” T-Mac added.
Of course, T-Mac did earn Hall of Fame honors after his retirement, but it’s hard not to think about how his career would be remembered today with a championship to his credit.
Sadly, injuries got in the way, and it’s a theme that continues to be far too common in the sports world.
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