One of the best scorers in NBA history, Tracy McGrady’s career was full of what-ifs. He came close to reaching icon status but never won a championship. His career also took a downward turn after a serious knee injury that stripped him of many of his abilities. Thankfully, after getting inspired by Penny Hardaway, he changed his playing style, which allowed him to continue competing at a high level.
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McGrady could score from virtually anywhere. He had a good mid-range jumper, could shoot from deep, and was also creative at the rim. But when knee problems started being a thorn in his side, he decided to become more of a passer.
Rudy Gay, on Carmelo Anthony’s podcast, spoke about how at Detroit and New York, T-Mac was primarily playing as a point guard, despite having played the majority of his career in the shooting guard or small forward position. McGrady agreed and revealed what changed.
“I was a natural facilitator,” he said. “That came in easy, I could wake up out of my sleep and read the board. No one had to teach me that, so I was naturally gifted in that, make plays all over the basketball court.”
Then, T-Mac pointed to his knee and explained how his chronic injury issues had taken away his explosiveness, something that once made him a dominant force on the offensive end. But he adapted and eventually moved to the point guard position. The host then asked if it was Penny Hardaway he looked to as inspiration for the transition, and T-Mac replied, “For sure.”
Hardaway, a four-time All-Star, was a unique point guard, someone much bigger than most players at his position. T-Mac took notes from him specifically in playmaking, which was the main responsibility of a point guard. Sadly, he never quite reached the levels that made him a cult-hero in the NBA.
McGrady’s early 2000s brilliance was never repeated, and even though he played in the NBA until 2013 after a stint in China, it’s his pre-injury days that fans and former teammates remember most fondly.
