The Orlando Magic selected Tracy McGrady into the franchise’s Hall of Fame for his amazing run with the team.
On March 20th, he joined Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, and a few others as one of the greatest players in Magic history.
Don’t forget. T-Mac was also inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last summer. However, this accomplishment with Orlando meant a lot to him as well.
“On a personal level,” as McGrady spoke to Tim Reynolds from The Associated Press, “growing up in Auburndale, Florida, my mom used to drive over here every summer when I was playing basketball in Orlando…and I used to tell my mom, I would tell my friends that I was going to be wearing this uniform one day.”
When he finally set foot on the Magic floor, McGrady never failed to put on a show for his fans. He played dynamically on both ends of the court, accepted every challenge he faced, and competed with heart.
Although T-Mac couldn’t carry his team far enough during playoffs, he still made an impact as a prolific scorer. He averaged 28.1 points, 5.2 assists, 7 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1 block, and 44.6% field goals per game. McGrady became the NBA’s Most Improved Player, a four-time All-Star, a two-time scoring champ, and an MVP candidate throughout those years.
Players won’t forget how unstoppable T-Mac was in his prime. Even the great Kobe Bryant acknowledged him as his toughest match-up.
“He had all the skills and athleticism, but he was 6’9”,” Bryant stated during an interview with Jimmy Kimmel. “And he was really tough to figure out.”
There is no doubt that McGrady deserved to be in the Hall of Fame. Congrats T-Mac!
To check out more of his highlights with the Magic, click here.
(Note: This post is also featured on Verge Campus UNLV)
Photo by NBA Media Ventures, LLC.
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