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“Tracy McGrady had all the skills and all the athleticism”: When Kobe Bryant called the Rockets legend “the toughest player” he ever had to play against

Advait Jajodia
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Tracy McGrady, Who was Grateful to Kobe Bryant for Leaving him $100M, Once Admitted About Not Being a ‘Practice Player’

Tracy McGrady was one of the very few players who actually gave Kobe Bryant a tough time on the basketball court.

During his career, Kobe Bryant played against several great players. However, there were only a few who could match the talent and intensity The Black Mamba played the game. One of those players who actually gave the Lakers legend a run for his money was Tracy McGrady.

T-Mac was one of the most explosive and gifted scorers in the league during his playing days. Despite sustaining several injuries throughout the course of his career, McGrady retired as a 7-time All-Star, 7 All-NBA player, 2 Scoring titles, got inducted into the Hall-Of-Fame, and was the “toughest player” Kobe ever played against.

Also Read: Ty Lue gives an insight into the work ethic and winning mindset of the 3 NBA legends

After his retirement, Kobe named Tracy as the “toughest guy” Bryant ever played against.

“Toughest guy I ever played against. So I mean there’s a lot of guys but the guy that always gave me the most problems actually was Tracy McGrady.

Yeah yeah, something about Tracy McGrady with his, you know, he had all the skills and all the athleticism but he was 6-9 and he was really really tight to figure out.”

“Tracy McGrady could do everything I could”: Kobe Bryant

In several instances, Bryant tipped his hat to McGrady. Apart from calling him the hardest player Kobe ever guarded, the Mamba even stated that the combo-guard “had no weaknesses in his game”.

“He could do everything I could, but he was 6’10. He had no weaknesses in his game, he could score from anywhere and defend. He’s the hardest player I have ever had to guard.”

Also Read: When Kobe Bryant gave the Clippers head coach props for defending AI well in 2001 Lakers Finals win

The two sensational players went at it 21 times during their careers. Not only did Kobe win more games (14-7), but he also outscored (26.9-17.9), outrebounded (5.4-4.8), out-assisted (5.3-4.8), and out-stole the ball (1.4-0.8) than Tracy.

Without a doubt, Kobe Bryant is one of the best to have played the games. And if he believed Tracy McGrady was a problem, in that case, we ought to give the former Rockets legend his flowers.

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,450+ articles.

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