During his playing days, Tracy McGrady was one of the greatest scorers in the game. He even secured two scoring championships, backing his claim as one of the best. While most players around T-Mac’s caliber are finicky about their pre-game rituals often needing to get some shots up before a game, the former Rockets star didn’t believe in pre-game rituals, choosing to take a nap before the game instead.
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In fact, McGrady recently took to his Instagram where he addressed questions surrounding his pre-game rituals. Revealing the truth, he gave the fans a scoop of honesty,
“My pre-game routine..honestly get my ankles tapped and I go to sleep. No bullsh*t. I didn’t go out and shoot. I get my ankles tapped and I find my table on the trainer’s table and I go take a nap…They come wake me up for the meeting…and I’ll go out there and drop 30…That’s my routine.”
McGrady wasn’t known to complicate the game much. Standing at 6’8″, McGrady shot over most of his guard competition. Coupled with his deadly hops and killer handles, it’s no surprise that McGrady didn’t need any special workout before the game. Doubling down on his relaxed approach towards pre-game routines, he further added,
“I didn’t put too much into it. I have done my studying already of who I am playing…I’ve already done that. That’s how I clear my mind and relax. It worked for me.”
The former Rockets player’s simple approach to the game surely paid off as he always looked effortless on the floor. He was undoubtedly the prototype for the lanky shooters in today’s game, as without his influence we might not have seen players like Kevin Durant and Paul George grace the hardwood with their “effortless” style of play.
Tracy McGrady thought “creatively” when it came to basketball
Tracy McGrady’s style of basketball can be defined as “unpredictable”. However, he himself looks at his performances in the NBA as nothing but “creative expression”, something artistic not athletic. During a 2022 sit-down with Slam Magazine, McGrady explained the mental framework behind his unique playstyle,
“I always wanted to be creative…You know, I’m a creative thinker, and I want to be the first to do something. I want to do something that nobody’s done, especially on the NBA level.”
His out-of-the-box thinking led to a long list of highlights for the former Raptors player. Unfortunately for the Texas native, a string of injuries would derail his career resulting in premature closure. While he played 15 seasons in the league, the 6’8″ guard was only a shadow of himself after his 2007-08 campaign, failing to average more than 15 points a season thereon.
