“What happened when Shaq left and Kobe was there for two years? He struggled” – Tracy McGrady believes every big player needs right pieces around him to win a championship
More often than not, a player's contributions to basketball are not given as much recognition as they should because they did not win a championship, and Tracy McGrady has come out to correct that line of thought. He believes a player, no matter how great individually, needs the right pieces around him to win a championship.
The debate for the GOAT in basketball is between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, and many are choosing sides based on the number of championships won by both players. While this is not to invalidate their victories or insinuate they are not deserving of being in the debate, some incredible players are not given proper respect because they have not won championships.
Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith has MJ as his GOAT but has said he could entertain discussions of James being the GOAT if he wins the 2022 title. While Milwaukee Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo has shown time and time again how much of a freak he is when it comes to basketball, he is still down the pecking order because he has only one championship.
"If LeBron James wins the title this year, I will actually entertain discussion about him being in the GOAT conversation."
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The bottom line is that people try to diminish a player's impact as a basketball player because of their championship count, and McGrady does not support that. Speaking with Golden State Warriors Draymond Green on "The Draymond Green Show," he gave his take on the subject.
Tracy McGrady's success is not defined by the number of championships won
On the podcast, McGrady was asked if winning a championship was the only validation of being a successful basketball player, and he said this in response:
(From 58:40):
"I could go to any country in the world, and I'm recognized. Anywhere, I'm well respected. Out in the streets, in the corporate world, I'm well respected."
"There's a lot of moving parts that has to come into play to win championships. With my game and how I played, you don't think if I had the right pieces around me I could have won a championship?"
"I was one of the top players in the league, I just didn't have the pieces around me. It's crazy because people really forget certain areas and certain guys' careers."
T-Mac went on about how Kevin Garnett, despite being phenomenal, only won a championship after he teamed up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston. To further buttress his point, he said:
"What happened when Shaq (Shaquille O'Neal) left, and Kobe (Bryant) was there for two years? What did he do? He struggled. People forget about that. You need the pieces around you to win championships."
McGrady was a prolific scorer, earning his spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was selected in the 1997 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors with the ninth overall pick. In his 16-year career, he made seven All-Star appearances and won two scoring titles but never got past the first round in a playoff series.