"I use to yell at LeBron & D Wade" - 2x NBA champion snubs former Heat teammate LeBron James as best passer he ever teamed up with
LeBron James is considered to be among the best passers in NBA history. Much like Magic Johnson before him, James has changed how NBA analysts and fans imagine playmakers. As he has maintained throughout his career, he considers himself a pass-first player. This is reflected in his assist numbers, which currently have him sitting in fourth place all-time.
Despite this, one of LeBron James' former teammates snubbed him from his list of best passers. While speaking in an interview with Draymond Green, former Miami Heat forward Shane Battier spoke about some of the best facilitators he's played with.
Although many would have expected Battier to name LeBron James as one of the best passers he's played with, he gave that distinction to another player. That being Tracy McGrady. The two played together in Houston, where McGrady earned the respect of the sharpshooter.
Speaking to Draymond Green on "The Draymond Green Show," Battier heaped the praise on McGrady:
"Tell you what about T Mac. He the best passer ever played with. I mean people don't give him credit for his passing. He was an amazing scorer and he was explosive.
"But man, he was like, he always put it, you know, on time on target, you know, I used to yell at LeBron and D Wade and I'm like, 'Dude, like you want assists, hit me in the chest,' and they'd be throwing it at my ankles or my T Mac never missed the pass."
Shane Battier's praise of Tracy McGrady, citing him as the best passer he's played with over LeBron James
Tracy McGrady's assist numbers don't come close to LeBron James', and McGrady doesn't rank in the top 25 all-time assist leaders. Despite that, Battier has indicated in the past that the Hall of Famer is the best passer he's ever played with.
In 2022, while speaking on an episode of the "Forgotten Seasons" podcast, Battier praised McGrady for his ability to get the ball to players in the right spot. In that instance, he didn't name drop LeBron James, but made it clear that T-Mac was likely the best passer he'd ever shared the court with.
"When I got to Houston, what struck me about T-Mac was that he’s probably the best passer I ever played with. He was a great pitcher in high school, he saw everything. Everything, ... Super underrated and a willing passer, for as great of a scorer he was, he was just an absolute handful as a basketball player.”
While LeBron James hasn't weighed in, his assist numbers over the years speak for themself. With just under 1,000 assists separating him and third-place Chris Paul, the future Hall of Famer could move up the all-time assist leaderboard before he retires.