Tracy McGrady "retiring"

[benji]

From the NBA anyhow:

Leaving open the door to play overseas, seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady retired from the NBA on Monday.

"It's been 16 years playing the game I love. I've had a great run, but it's time for it to come to an end," McGrady said on ESPN's "First Take."

...

Asked to clarify whether he is considering playing in China, McGrady said: "Officially retired from the NBA. Door's still open."

His 2002-03 season should be taught in schools.

[NovU]

You beat me to it.

02-03 season is somewhat funny because the season before and after. It's like true one hit wonder. He went from Carmelo to MJ then back to Carmelo right away.

[Andrew]

There's definitely an element of "what could have been" when it comes to T-Mac's career, but on the whole it was very respectable to say the least, even if his teams didn't always enjoy much success. For a few years there, he was absolutely one of the best at his position and one of the league's brightest stars.

[Stress Fracture]

The what-ifs will always be haunting in my mind.

[Kenny]

Hill and McGrady in the same season. It's going to be a hard hall of fame ballot when the time comes.

[Andrew]

Kidd, too; I imagine he has to be a lock, so that's one spot off the table to begin with.

[shadowgrin]

Hill's a shoo-in even if just for his NCAA career.
Kidd is also guaranteed.
T-Mac might be left out.

[SoF'nAwesome]

I kinda feel sad for the dude. But I think he will make it to the fames.

[Moz]

Hill's a shoo-in even if just for his NCAA career.
Kidd is also guaranteed.
T-Mac might be left out.

Add Iverson to the mix I reckon they'll favor him more since he's MVP in 2001

[benji]

Already, the Hall of Fame's 24-person honors committee will have its hands full with the candidacy of Allen Iverson, who is expected to officially announce his retirement soon. But while the abrupt end to his NBA career, off-court issues and the growing emphasis on scoring efficiency could keep Iverson from being a first-ballot selection, it's hard to see him waiting long to reach the Hall. Every eligible NBA MVP has been voted in, and that precedent is unlikely to change with Iverson.

McGrady's case is far trickier and depends in large part on the emphasis placed on peak performance versus career value.

...

Part of the reason McGrady is not a lock for the Hall of Fame is that his contributions were largely limited to that eight-season span. He showed promise during his first three years with the Toronto Raptors, but back and knee injuries brought McGrady's productive career to an end before the age of 30. (He is still only 34 and some three years younger than Duncan and Garnett, who continue to add to their résumés.) So McGrady's career totals are limited.

[shadowgrin]

I thought one of the requirements of nomination for players to the HoF is X years must have lapsed since your last (official?) game. Iverson last played in 2011 in Turkey so I thought he'd be nominated early than Hill or Kidd.

[NovU]

NBA PM: Better Legacy – Iverson or McGrady?
http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-better ... or-mcgrady

Allen Iverson
11x All-Star (2 MVPs)
2000-01 Most Valuable Player
2001 NBA Finals appearance
3x 1st team all-NBA selection (3x 2nd team, 1x 3rd)
18th in career points (19,906)
4x scoring champion (1998-99 – 26.8 ppg, 2000-01 – 31.1, 2001-02 – 31.4, 2004-05 – 30.7)
12th all-time in free throws made (6,375)
13th all-time in total steals (1,983)
9th all-time in career steals per game average (2.2)
6th all-time in career points per game average (26.7)
Played in 972 games (901 regular season, 71 postseason) in 14 years

Tracy McGrady
7x All-Star
2000-01 Most Improve Player
2x 1st team all-NBA selection (3x 2nd team, 2x 3rd)
60th in career points (18,381)
28th in career PER (22.1)
2x scoring champion (2002-03 – 32.1 ppg, 2003-04 28)
2013 NBA Finals appearance
Played in 753 games (703 regular season, 50 postseason) in 16 years

[Andrew]

I thought one of the requirements of nomination for players to the HoF is X years must have lapsed since your last (official?) game. Iverson last played in 2011 in Turkey so I thought he'd be nominated early than Hill or Kidd.

I believe players have to officially file some paperwork with the league for that waiting period to begin.

[SoF'nAwesome]

Kinda like "I want/deserve to be a Hall of Famer"?

[Andrew]

I guess that may run through their mind, but if nothing else, "I'm officially calling it a day".

[bowdown]

At-least he got to the Finals this year. Would have been a big stain on his legacy even though it was not all his fault for not leaving the first round as an active player.

[Rokyn]

Just want to share my thoughts on McGrady. He will be surely missed and his 2002/2003 season will be unforgettable. I remember playing with him on Live 2003 and just challenging my friends by scoring all the points with him on the Magic. The 13 points in 33 seconds, dunk over Bradley, and taking a bad team like Orlando to the playoffs. Too bad he could never advance past the first round, get injured, and never get a ring. Though I find it interesting that he has retired from the NBA but not internationally. Guess he still can't give up the ball just yet.

phpBB [video]

[Andrew]

Tracy McGrady, reflecting on his career, says he wishes he would have stayed in Toronto

“In hindsight, looking back, obviously I wish I had stayed in Toronto,” McGrady was saying in a recent telephone interview from his home in the Houston area. “There’s no doubt we could have contended for a championship. I think about that often. But if ‘if’ was a fifth, you know?”

“Had I been a little older and wiser and knew what was ahead of me, I would have stayed, no doubt, with those guys. But that was some of the best times of my life, man. Being with (Charles) Oakley and Kevin Willis and Antonio Davis, Muggsy (Bogues), Dell Curry, Dee Brown. Man. I still talk to a lot of those guys to this day. Because I appreciated how they looked out for me. They were all professionals.”

No mention of Vince Carter.

I don't know about that team seriously contending for a championship; I'd suggest he had better opportunities in Houston and even then, I wouldn't have called them frontrunners. Still, it's interesting that looking back, he would've liked to have played his entire career - or at least a lot more of it - in Toronto.

[shadowgrin]

Vince Carter was mentioned by McGrady in the source article.

[Andrew]

So he does, fair enough.