T-Mac Inducted to Orlando Magic Hall of Fame

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.

Make Room for Donovan Mitchell

This rookie class keeps getting better. Fans are witnessing talent that is worth to watch, and one rookie is making a mark in the NBA. His name is Donovan Mitchel from the Utah Jazz.

Selected as the 13^th overall pick in the 2017 Draft, no one expected the rookie from the University of Louisville to have an impressive breakthrough. With their former superstar, Gordon Hayward, moving on to the Boston Celtics, the Jazz needed to find another player who can fill in his shoes. The team wanted someone who brings energy and lifts his teammates up. Rudy Gobert is one of those players, but who can back him up? Mitchell has the potential to fulfill that role.

Mitchell has been climbing his way up to be an elite player. Rookies like Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, and Kyle Kuzma are showcasing their skills, and fans can’t get enough of them. However, this rookie deserves everyone’s attention too. According to Basketball Reference, the 6-foot-3-inch shooting guard averages 17.3 points, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 41% field goals made, and 84.2% free throws made per game. In his class, he is second behind Ben Simmons as a scoring leader. The statistics show that Mitchell thrives for success. He handles the pressure of the game well. Mitchell is built to blow by his opponent as he handles the ball during fastbreak opportunities and isolation situations. This can raise concern to the opposing team because it will be difficult to guard him. He sets a pace that players have to figure out.

Out of all the superstars in the league, Houston Rocket’s James Harden took notice of Mitchell’s game. He stated to Kyle Goon from The Salt Lake Tribune, “Even guys like Mitchell from the Jazz…He got game.” Harden’s encouragement indicates that Mitchell has established himself into the pros.

His performance against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 1^st has to be his best game so far. Click here to watch his highlights. Mitchell gave Utah fans a reason to rejoice when he set a career high 41 points during the matchup. He surpasses Jazz legend, Darrell Griffith, to be the first rookie in franchise history to tally a 40-plus-point game in his rookie season. ESPN’s Tim McMahon tweeted, “Active players who had 40-plus-point games as a rookie: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Eric Gordon, Steph Curry, Blake Griffin and Donovan Mitchell.” Mitchell’s performance puts him in good company with many stars in the league.

If he keeps it up, then Mitchell has something to look forward to in the future. He is making a statement that he belongs in the NBA. He has “NBA Superstar” written all over him.

Photo by NBA Media Ventures, LLC