When you think about what Tracy McGrady used to be and what he is now, it’s generally considered a sad thing.
McGrady, who many believed to be an equal to Kobe Bryant (or better, depending on who you ask) in his prime, just finished the previous season as a bench-warmer with the San Antonio Spurs at the age of 34.
It just doesn’t sound quite right, does it?
No one envisioned the superstar’s career to wind down in such an anticlimactic way, but the often-injured guard never could recapture his true form after undergoing microfracture surgery back in 2009. Although he would never admit to it at the time, Rick Adelman and the Houston Rockets knew that McGrady wasn’t going to be the same when he came back from the surgery, and subsequently traded him to the New York Knicks, where he managed to play one great, adrenalin-filled game against the Oklahoma City Thunder before realizing he could no longer elevate properly to finish a routine layup.
From there, McGrady’s impact on the game dwindled like never before. He started to bounce around the league for the next few seasons (Detroit and Atlanta) and even ended up in China before being picked up by the Spurs during their postseason run. Despite his gratitude for the opportunity to win a championship, it was probably his most painful experience as a player – to be recognized as a former great who could no longer contribute any meaningful minutes in the biggest stage of the NBA. Recognizing the need to move on, he decided to break the news of retirement on ESPN’s First Take on Monday morning:
It’s easy to recognize the sad aspects of his story – the injuries and the inability to win big in the postseason – but lets not get it twisted: the guy was considered one of the best basketball players on the planet for nearly a decade. With his freakish athleticism and size, McGrady was virtually unguardable. When he wasn’t scoring, he consistently created shots for teammates and was far from a selfish player. His accolades include the following: seven All-Star appearances, two scoring titles, two All-NBA First Team selections, three All-NBA Second Team selections and two All-NBA Third Team selections. He was the leader of a team that won 22 consecutive games. He provided one of the most memorable performance of all-time by scoring 13 points in 33 seconds against a stunned Spurs team. Kobe called him the toughest rival of his career. In one particular game against the Washington Wizards, McGrady posted 62 points, 10 rebounds and five assists (and that’s after missing nine free throws).
Simply put, we are talking about a special, special player – a future hall of famer – who didn’t have enough luck or necessary means to win consistently, but electrified and entertained NBA fans around the world for a better part of the 2000s. Thanks for the amazing memories, Mr. McGrady.
Onto other news from around the league:
The Los Angeles Clippers bolstered their bench by acquiring Antawn Jamison, from Ramona Shelburne of ESPN LA: “The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to sign forward Antawn Jamison to a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum, a source close to the situation told ESPNLosAngeles.com on Monday. Jamison played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, averaging 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds. He has been unabashed in his desire to play for a championship contender in the final years of a 15-year career in which he has averaged 18.8 points and 7.6 rebounds. “I’m just happy to be a Clipper and contend for a championship,” Jamison told ESPNLosAngeles.com. The 37-year-old Jamison will likely surpass 20,000 career points early next season.”
