The NBA is home to mainly two types of players. Those who find success through hard work like Kobe Bryant, and those who are naturally gifted like Tracy McGrady.
Advertisement
T-Mac truly was a player who had it all. He had the size, length, skills, and IQ of a player destined for greatness. For the most part, he lived up to those lofty expectations.
However, there were some concerns about his mentality. Specifically his dedication in practice sessions. Something that even McGrady claims were a fatal flaw of his.
Tracy McGrady admitted to being a “gamer” and not a “practice player”
There can be no denying that Tracy McGrady was one of the greatest players in NBA history. The man averaged 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game.
However, while he may have been a baller during game time, T-Mac himself admits he wasn’t a big fan of the practice. McGrady who has been accused of being lazy in practice sessions agreed with his former GM Daryl Morey and coach Jeff Van Gundy, who believed that despite having “God-given” talent, he never put any effort into training.
“I’m just not a great practice player,” McGrady said. “That’s what I wasn’t. I was a gamer. You put me in a game and the lights are bright and the stands are filled. That’s just what I was. But you practice, get up and down, and do this. That wasn’t my thing.”
Well, all said and done, we can do nothing more than imagine what T-Mac’s career would have looked like if he worked twice as hard in the gym. Perhaps he would have been on the same level as his good friend, the late great Kobe Bryant.
T-Mac is grateful to Kobe Bryant, whose departure from Adidas bagged him a $100 million deal
In 2002, Kobe Bryant decided to opt out of his contract with Adidas. The decision proved to be a boon for one of Kobe’s good friends. Tracy McGrady was able to bag a huge $100 million lifetime deal with Adidas after the company decided to drop its $200 million offer with the Black Mamba.
Safe to say that McGrady is eternally grateful to Bryant. Things could have been completely different if the Mamba had decided to stick with the “three stripes”.
