This year Kobe Bryant will be entering his 17th year in the NBA and he has played against some of the all-time greats, but when asked who his toughest opponent was Kobe Bryant didn’t pick Lebron James or Kevin Durant. Kobe said Tracy McGrady.
“The guy that always gave me the most problems was Tracy McGrady. He had all the skills and all the athleticism, but he was 6’9 and he was very tough to figure out.”
Because of a career plagued with injuries many may forget that for a few seasons the debate between best player in the NBA wasn’t a Kobe/Lebron thing, it was a Kobe/McGrady thing. From 2000-2005 Tracy averaged more than 25 points per game including 2002-2003 where his average was 32.
Although I think even if Lebron was his toughest opponent Kobe would never admit it, it does make one think what type of conversation we would be having if McGrady was able to stay healthy.
H/T: Lakers Nation