One would be inclined to call it a comeback, but Tracy McGrady has been here for years.
“People sometimes forget what you’ve done in this league,” McGrady said with a laugh. “I haven’t gone anywhere. And I’m only 32. People forget that, too. I’m younger than Kobe, younger than Ray Allen, younger than a lot of guys. I just haven’t been healthy. I haven’t felt like this in a while.” – (Shaun Powell/NBA.com)
T-Mac is correct. People had forgotten about him. Better yet, he had become forgettable. Things had come full-circle. Drafted 9th overall by the Toronto Raptors in 1997, McGrady entered the league as the cousin of superstar Vince Carter; relegated to his lesser known teammate and his passer in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest. McGrady was also a participant in the contest and viewed as a decent enough player, but Toronto was undoubtedly Carter’s show.
After playing second-fiddle for a few years, the Raptors traded McGrady to the Orlando Magic. Here he was quickly established as a bona fide headliner in his own right. Still, the stars just did not seem to be aligning for him. This was supposed to be a two-man show as Grant Hill was acquired by the Magic as well. But with Hill in and out of the line-up (mostly out), McGrady was forced to carry the load and could not make any significant playoff runs with his team.
In 2004 he tried it again, teaming up with Yao Ming in Houston. For a short while, T-Mac and Yao were one of the more potent duos in the league. Then they befell a fate suffered by many before them, and will be suffered by many to come, injuries. With both McGrady and Yao forced to miss a plethora of games during their five-year tenure together, the capabilities of the pairing never came to full fruition.
McGrady has never been the same since. Everything that could go wrong, did. His back, his knee, his shoulder all gave him problems. His body had failed him. Or, with recent admissions that he got by solely on talent and wasn’t concerned with working hard in practice, did McGrady fail his body?
After a couple of ineffective stints with the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, it became painfully obvious that his best days were behind him. One of the things that made him so great, his athleticism, had all but completely abandoned him. Any resemblance of a game seemed to have deserted him as well. It looked as though he had nothing left.
McGrady was written off as he faded into obscurity; a “throw-in” with trades and an afterthought in free-agent signings. Again, just like in 1997, he was overlooked. Only this time, his cousin was not his competition and there was no shadow to step out of. Two opponents that seldom face defeat, health and the passage of time left him fully exposed.
Now in his 15th NBA season, T-Mac can no longer do the things that he has once done. But, the great ones re-invent themselves. Coming off of the bench for the Atlanta Hawks, McGrady seems to be at peace with his role. He has expressed understanding and acceptance with regard to this unfamiliar territory in which he now finds himself, and looks to be excelling.
So far, for the Hawks this season, McGrady is averaging: 8 points, 2 assists, and close to 4 rebounds per game. These numbers don’t even do his impact justice. A rejuvenated McGrady has dominated late in a couple of games this year. Most notably with a 13-point fourth quarter effort he recently poured on the Miami Heat, leading his team to a 100-92 victory. There is something left in the tank after all.
It is interesting to ponder just how good McGrady could have been if he had the durability, or the diligence of Allen and Bryant, who are still playing at a high level. However, he has proven that he has the basketball skills and I.Q. to contribute to a team regardless. T-Mac looks to have found his way. Here’s hoping that recent reports of nagging injuries flaring up don’t cause him to lose it again.
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