"Kobe is definitely at the top of that list" - Tracy McGrady thinks Kobe Bryant is the best one-on-one player ever
Tracy McGrady has hailed the late Kobe Bryant as the best one-on-one player in NBA history.
Bryant is among the greatest players in NBA history. He played his entire career with the LA Lakers, winning five championships, two Finals MVP and one MVP and was an 18-time All-Star.
He is also regarded as one of the best one-on-one players of all time. In an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Hall of Fame swingman McGrady named Bryant as the greatest one-on-one player ever, along with Allen Iverson and Jamal Crawford. McGrady said:
"Kobe is definitely at the top of that list. I could go with a handful of guys that are great one-on-one players: Baron Davis, Cuttino Mobley, Lou Williams, Jamal Crawford. These are one-on-one certified killers. Allen Iverson. That’s what these guys do. But definitely, Kobe is at the top of that list."
Tracy McGrady discussed nearly getting traded for Bulls star Scottie Pippen, what could’ve been if he stayed with Vince Carter in Toronto, how close Tim Duncan was to joining the Magic, Jeff Van Gundy stories, his @OBLhoops venture, and more on @hoopshype. hoopshype.com/lists/tracy-mc…
McGrady was also asked who would win between him and Bryant in a one-on-one game during their peak. He replied that their duel would have been competitive and wouldn't have been lopsided in Bryant's favor. The seven-time All-Star launched Ones Basketball League in February. McGrady said:
"I think it would go back and forth. I think it won’t be a lopsided competition. He'd win some, and I'd win some."
Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady were longtime friends
Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady were friends even before they became NBA players. Bryant and T-Mac had very similar games and were able to score big. Both legends were also drafted directly from high school, Bryant in 1996 and McGrady two years later.
In an interview with ESPN following Bryant's death two years ago, McGrady said they drifted apart during their playing days in the NBA. They got back together and became close again after retiring. Both players were heavily involved in their children's basketball development.
McGrady also revealed a chilling statement from Bryant when they were young. The two-time scoring champion said Bryant told him several times that he wanted to die young. Obviously, it was a young Bryant, and his views changed when he later became a husband and father. McGrady said:
"This sounds crazy, but Kobe spoke this. He used to say all the time, 'I want to die young.' He used to say, 'I want to die young. I want to be immortalized. I want to have my career be better than Michael Jordan, and I want to die young.' And I just thought he was so crazy for saying that."
Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020 at the age of just 41. His daughter Gianna and seven others also perished in the accident as the sporting world mourned the death of one of the greatest basketball players ever.