Esperahini (Host) (2:53)

Good morning and welcome to the Athletic NBA Daily, presented by ebay. My name is Esperahini. Today we are joined by hall of Famer and NBC studio analyst Tracy McGrady on the show to talk about the upcoming season. Let's get into it.

Tracy McGrady (3:12)

Appreciate you having me. What's up, brother?

Esperahini (Host) (3:13)

Appreciate you coming on, man. How's everything going, man? How's the start to the new season?

Tracy McGrady (3:18)

Life is good, man. I can't complain. You know, I had a wonderful summer and now we. I'm back into basketball and I think it's. It's going to be a pretty exciting season.

Esperahini (Host) (3:30)

Yeah, man, it should be. I mean, look, this is an open field for teams to potentially win a championship. It's going to be a fun season. How has it been working in the studio with, with Vince and Melo? I saw you last night in, in the Milwaukee game talking to those guys. How was that?

Tracy McGrady (3:46)

Dude, never in a million years I thought I'd be doing, you know, TV with one my cousin and then another amazing hall of Famer that I competed with, you know, during our time. It's been fun, man. It's been the time of my life. When you retire from the game of basketball, you always look for challenges and things to keep you going because retailers, we retire at such an early age. I retire at 33 years old. So you always try to find that, that newfound energy and I found it. This is so fun.

Esperahini (Host) (4:15)

Yeah, man. I could tell you guys are having a lot of fun with it, too, and it shows up on tv. I know you've done analyst work before, but what kind of drew you to doing it with NBC on Peacock and just this team so far this season?

Tracy McGrady (4:30)

Well, when you look back on, you know, I think growing up and being a fan of the game of basketball, talking the early ninet, that was the golden era of basketball. And that's when NBC, of course, covered the games. And it's some of the most memorable moments in the era of the NBA. So for me, it's just like that nostalgic feeling and 35 years removed from my middle school and my falling in love with the game of basketball and seeing those moments on NBC, it still resonates with me today. So it had such an influence on me and I just want to give that back to the, to to the game and give it back to the fans. The new, the new era of, of fans of basketball and a broader, you know, fan base because the game is such a global sport now than it was back in, you know, the early 90s. So it's, it's been that drive for me.

Esperahini (Host) (5:34)

That's awesome, man. I mean, dude, I remember watching you on NBC. You know what I mean? Like that's how, how it feels. It's a full circ here for, for you to be on TV now analyzing the game compared to when you were playing before. I kind of want to get into what we could expect this season, basketball wise. I mean, we're, we're a couple of weeks into the NBA preseason. What have you seen? I guess who has stood out to you the most over the first couple weeks?

Tracy McGrady (6:02)

Well, I mean some of the young guys. You know, when you look at Cooper, of course he's going to be a stud. We saw that from him and college. I just think, you know, his, his ceiling is extremely high of multiple things that he could do great on the basketball court. Then you look at Ace Bailey, Ace Bailey coming out of the gates, you know, firing looks extremely comfortable shooting that, that pull up jumper. The young guys are, you know, they're coming in with a great deal of confidence. But, but when I look at this cat that's in San Antonio, man, it doesn't make sense.

Esperahini (Host) (6:40)

It doesn'. That's what he does on the court, man.

Tracy McGrady (6:44)

Oh, we in for a treat for the next 10 to hopefully 15 years of seeing something we have never witnessed on the basketball court. I cannot believe what I'm seeing from this guy. I'm talking about like he's doing everything. A guy like myself or Kobe or LeBron, Shaq, like he's mixing everybody's game into his own. Like beasting boys now with that shoulder and sitting on a rim like Shaq. He's coming down like kd pulling up for that three. He's getting in his mid range. Listen to, I've never seen anyone have this type of impact on the offensive end and the defensive end. Yo, we're in for a treat, man. Sit back and watch Greatness.

Esperahini (Host) (7:31)

It's crazy because he's getting taller. He, he was 73 when he got into the league and he's now 7 5. And I don't know, there was a report earlier that he might be up to 7 7. So that just, that doesn't make sense to me that he's doing all these things as fluid as he is.

Tracy McGrady (7:47)

You know what I mean, nah, nah, it's. It's going to be scary days, scary hours. It's, you know, I think we're. We're so fortunate to have that guy. Yeah. Be. Be in the organization that he's in. They're going to put him in, you know, great positioning to win, and we. Good. We get to witness this for a very long time.

Esperahini (Host) (8:08)

Yeah, absolutely. There's. There's another big man that you're really high on. You mentioned Evan Mobley could potentially enter the MVP conversation this season. You're very high on the Cavs. You pick them to come out of the Eastern Conference. What, what makes you so high on this Cavaliers team?

Tracy McGrady (8:26)

Well, I think when you look back what they were able to accomplish last year, Evan Mobley being the defensive player of the year can. Controlling the defensive end for those guys. He and, And Jared Allen. Defensively, I just thought they were phenomenal. Offensively is where I think they have to be a little bit better and not so much rely on Donovan Mitchell. And I think Donovan Mitchell himself has to do a better job of utilizing his teammates, which I think he has the ability to do, because, you know, it's. It's tough, man. You. You come from a team in Utah where you. You feel like, you know, you have to be the dominant scorer, the primary scorer and put up all these. These points, but now you're on a team where you can defer to, you know, some of these guys and get them involved and raise their, Raise their ceiling a little bit their floor a little bit on the offensive end. So I look for Donovan to. To be much more of a facilitator. Also keep that killer mentality on the scores on the offensive end. But also defensively, I look for them to take another step, and for me, Evan Mobley is going to take that. That next step offensively.

Esperahini (Host) (9:30)

Yeah, you mentioned the versatility, and I think that's such an important part for a team that has done well in the regular season but is flamed out in the playoffs. It's like finding out how to win in the postseason versus winning in the regular season. And to your point, Evan Mobley might be the most important player on the team for them to get over that hump. So I completely agree with you. But I know there's a lot of Knicks fans who are probably like, why not New York? Why not the knicks? So, Tracy McGrady, why not the New York Knicks?

Tracy McGrady (9:58)

Well, I'm not. I'm not saying the Knicks can't do it. I just like Cleveland better. But The Knicks. The Knicks. The Knicks also has an opportunity to take that number one seed and come out of the East. I like their toughness and their grit. Just the only hesitation I have with the Knicks is they have a new coach. Right. We can't ignore that. There's a new coach, there's a, there's a new system. And Jalen Brunson and those guys have been playing a certain way under Tibs for multiple years. So now to come in and change that, and I don't and reason I'm saying change that because Mike Brown comes from a tree of San Antonio and Golden State where these guys are ball movement, player movement. It's not isolation ball. So I wonder if he implements his, you know, his offense into this new team, how they're going to react to that. And if it flows well, everything is good. If it doesn't flow well, then what do we have from the players? Probably get some griping, you know, because you're not winning ball games.

Esperahini (Host) (11:04)

Yeah, no, that's, that's a very good point. I agree. I think the, the change for Mike Brown and how he's able to get guys to buy into that system will be a key. I want to talk about some of your former teams. Right. The Rockets added Kevin Durant to a really, really young group. This is obviously a really exciting team. They're. They're also defensively dominant with guys like Amen Thompson and Tari Eason and those guys locking up on the perimeter. How far do you think this Rockets team can go?

Tracy McGrady (11:31)

I think as presently constructed, I think they're a second round team. Okay. Yeah. I think losing Fred was a very big loss for them. And the, the reason why I say that they, I think they still going to be pretty tough defensively. Kd, you know, still I think could be a solid defender even at his age. I just think when it comes to a playoff game and you don't have the security blanket in terms of like the orchest, the, the organization on the offensive end slowing down the pace and getting guys organized, that's going to be a problem. And if you have a man, Thompson being your point guard, you know, trying to go make a run in the, in the playoffs and you have these wiry guys like OKC have and if you, I know they're not in the same conference, but if you look like these guys, like Dyson Daniels, if you have a team full of like Dyson Daniels and pressuring your point guard, you can't get into your offense, it's going to be a struggle. So that's why I think they're going to struggle if they don't find that, you know, that point guard for their team. Other than that, you know, I think they'll win a lot of games in the regular season and you know Katie will do his thing. I think some of their young guys will take the next step. I actually think Shangoon is going to have a phenomenal season. I love to watch him play, but I just think that point guard position is going to hurt them.

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Esperahini (Host) (17:13)

One of your other teams, the Orlando Magic, they added a guard in Desmond Bain and I think everybody is expecting for them to take a leap this season for Paolo and Franz to, you know, elevate their games to all star and all NBA status. What do you think the potential of this group is in Orlando?

Tracy McGrady (17:30)

So the east is pretty interesting, man. You know it is wide open. You know obviously I have my top two teams, Cleveland and in New York, but then you have like it's probably like four teams in that three to like six, seven range, Detroit, Orlando, Atlanta, Milwaukee. Like those teams are going to Be fighting for those spots. And I think Orlando being that, you know, you have a bonafide young up and coming superstar and Paolo who's going to be phenomenal this year, I mean before he got hurt yet last year he was in the MVP running. He was just having a phenomenal season. I look for Franz for me like he's such a great attacker off the dribble, getting to get into the rim. For me he needs to develop more of an outside shot, a three pointer, be more consistent at that to open up more of his game. But I want to see Paolo cut down on some of the three pointers, get into the in between game because he's so big, he's so strong, he causes a problem and what that is going to do because he's, you know, he pulling gravity and you can have bangs on the opposite, opposite side knocking down these threes when you need them, especially in crunch moments like that should be their go to. And I, I love that. I love the addition of things. I think he's going to have helped him a lot. But their key to success is, is Jalen Suggs. He has to stay healthy. He has to stay healthy.

Esperahini (Host) (19:04)

Yeah, no, I, I couldn't agree with you more. And you, you mentioned the physicality. That is like one of the calling cards for both of those guys. Like Paulo is so good and he's big. You see him in person. This is, he's a huge guy who can play like a wing. And so both of those guys, if they end up being more physical, I think it'll open up the game for the rest of the offense. Okay. Another team that you played for but also didn't mention in that mix for the, the rest of the group, the Toronto Raptors, they added Brandon Ingram. You know, we'll see how that looks. They won 30 games last year. I know you were, you were watching the team last year just because it was the 30th anniversary. What, what do you expect out of this team? I feel like they're a little slept on in these, to be honest with you.

Tracy McGrady (19:46)

How do you feel? I agree that they're slept on. They have a lot of guys that play similar positions and for me it's just, for me it's going to come down to ego. Like bi. Can you come in? RJ was playing so well last year and I hope he can get back to playing that type of basketball with adding Bi to this team. But can those guys coexist and sacrifice if one is having a great week or a great month can the other one sacrifice not trying to outplay him? Right. That. That is my only gripe with the Toronto Raptors is can they set aside their ego? I love quickly at that point, the officers. I think they have a very, very talented and deep team. But it's all about coming together, dropping your egos at the door, and let's see what we can do with this, because I do think if they could put those egos aside and play winning basketball and approach it that way every single day, yeah, I think they could be right there with those teams with the Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Esperahini (Host) (20:53)

Yeah. Look, a lot of ego managing is. Is on the coaching side. Right. It's like figuring out the pieces and. And finding those guys the right touches so that everybody can stay satisfied. Want to also talk to you about some news that dropped today. So Russell Westbrook signed with the Sacramento Kings. You know, he's. Over the last couple of years, he's switched a couple of different teams. I love the fact that Russ is back in the NBA. I don't know about you, but it's. It's awesome that Russ is back in the league and staying in the league. You know, you've also had your experience as sort of a journeyman towards the end of your career, where you've had to go from multiple different teams. Russ is sort of going through that phase right now. What would you say, what advice would you give to Russ as he enters this new chapter in his career?

Tracy McGrady (21:37)

Well, I think he's. He's smart enough. And Russ, he knows the business. He understands. He's been doing this for multiple years. He still loves to play. For me, it was about. And I think our mindsets are pretty different because mine was coming off of micro fracture surgery. So I was just trying to prove to myself that I could still play the game. Obviously, I wasn't at that level that I once was playing at, but it was just all about proving to myself to overcome something so traumatic to me because I was, you know, playing at a high level, and I knew I just couldn't get back to that. That level. But for Russ, man, it's all about, you know, still having that passion and that love for the game, and he still can freaking play, like, right. I know, like, people get on Russ for, you know, some of his reckless play, but wouldn't you want to have a player on your team that plays extremely hard, like, gives you that passion that rubs off on your young guys? And for me, it's about coaching. Right. I think it has to be a Coach that's confident within himself because Rush is such a legend and you got a Hall of Famer sitting on your, your bench. So I think you got to be, you know, honest with yourself and be honest with Russ and really lay out the, the game plan of landscape of how it's going to be. I love that he's in Sacramento with those guys. I'm sure he's friends with DeMar DeRozan because those guys are LA guys. So I think he's going to fit in well. And, you know, if they allow him to, to push, push the ball and beat Russ, I think he's going to be phenomenal.

Esperahini (Host) (23:12)

I love that. Yeah, I completely agree with you. Just let, let Russ be Russ and he'll impact the game in the way that he wants. Look, I know that NBC Sports is also going to be hosting the All Star Weekend this year, and you've been a big proponent of incorporating the one on one competition into All Star Weekend. Tracy, how do we do it? How do we make that happen?

Tracy McGrady (23:35)

Listen, I just been trying to push it because I want to see it so bad. I just, I don't know, I don't think it's gonna happen, but I, I think we all want to see it. I've been advocating and pushing for it. Hopefully one of these years. It's definitely not going to happen this year, but, you know, we'll see. I, I'll keep advocating and pushing because I think the people, the people want to see one on one with the NBA players, right?

Esperahini (Host) (23:59)

Yeah, they absolutely do. I mean, look, there's, there's a lot of conversation about, like, how do we save All Star Weekend? How do we rejuvenate it? Are you excited to be a part of that and, and to kind of bring back the life to All Star Weekend?

Tracy McGrady (24:12)

Yeah, I'm always excited for All Star Weekend. I think, you know, honestly, we just need to get back to just doing it the old school way, man. Just east versus West. Actually, I love the idea of having, you know, our team jerseys on. That was pretty fun when we did that. I think that was like 2002, represent your team wearing your team jerseys. I think that was fun. But yeah, I'm excited that NBC is covering All Star Weekend, that I get to be a part of these festivities. And like I said, keep pushing for one on one, baby. Yes.

Esperahini (Host) (24:45)

I need it. I need it. Look, if you're, if you're leading the way, I think we can do it. Yes, let's do it. Look, I'm down. I'm Game. I will figure out a way where we can set it up. Which current player right now reminds you the most of your game in your prime?

Tracy McGrady (25:05)

I can't, I can't really see any of the young guys. Okay. And a lot of you know what? And it's because I think a lot of these guys play the same. Like when I look at, when I turn on tv, like Donovan, Mitchell, Tatum, like, they all have the same game because of, you know, these, these guys all had trainers. I didn't have a trainer. Like, my game was just tailor made of how I played based off of just playing pickup basketball all the time. So that's how I mastered my craft. But these guys are going to these trainers and training every day and really not saying it's anything wrong with that, but it's just a lot of y' all look the same. There's no originality. And I just like to see more of who you are as a basketball player, not taking what your trainers. Yeah, but skill level. That's a really good point.

Esperahini (Host) (26:00)

Yeah, I know. I agree. And look, there's. There's like a trainer culture now. Even when you're really, really young, right. Like, you have to get a trainer by the time you're 12, 13 years old, 14 years old. If you really want to get serious.

Tracy McGrady (26:12)

About basketball earlier than that now, it's early in that now. These kids, are they having trainers in elementary school now? And I forget, Let the kids have fun. Let them just. If you want your kids to play basketball, just put them in a YMCA when they're very early, or put them in rec leagues, organize basketball and just let them play. Like train them ball handling, that's fine. But when you start adding all the skill work to footwork and all that, like, that is crazy to me.

Esperahini (Host) (26:42)

Yeah. No, it leaves out the imagination part of things. And so much of basketball was like. And look, I'm not even close to the level of basketball, not even even the same stratosphere of basketball player that you are. But like a lot of basketball was imagination. Going on the court outside playing with people and figuring out how to play that sort of. I feel like that's gone to a certain level. It's a different culture now.

Tracy McGrady (27:08)

Well, it's gone because, you know, the culture of, you know, basketball is different. Like, when we grew up, we actually were watching a game. Now these guys are kids are just watching highlights. But we actually sat down and watched the game. And when we saw a move, we went out and we tried to imitate that and might not look the same, but we did it our. Our way, and, you know, we just put things into our repertoire that we saw and made it comfortable to our style and our life.

Esperahini (Host) (27:39)

Yeah, no, that's entirely fair. That. That completely makes sense to me. I want to. I want to do some rapid fire questions with you, Tracy, if you're okay with that.

Tracy McGrady (27:47)

Do some rap.

Esperahini (Host) (27:48)

Whatever comes to your head first. Just answer it. Go from there. Okay. Rapid fire with Tracy McGrady.

Tracy McGrady (27:55)

Let's do it.

Esperahini (Host) (27:57)

Kobe once famously said that you were the hardest guy to guard. Who do you think would be the hardest guy to guard today?

Tracy McGrady (28:04)

Wemby. Wemby.

Esperahini (Host) (28:06)

Oh, Wemby. Okay. That's a fair answer. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true. Yeah, I didn't even think about that. Yeah. Okay. All right, cool. Who can score 13 points in 35 seconds in the NBA right now?

Tracy McGrady (28:18)

I think Luca can do it.

Esperahini (Host) (28:20)

Luca can do it. That's a good answer. Who's winning one on one right now? You mellow or Vince?

Tracy McGrady (28:27)

I think mellow right now because mellow is still hooping. Mellow. Out of all three of us, mellow is the only one still hooping, so we got to get that to mellow.

Esperahini (Host) (28:37)

Okay, fair. Who's winning the NBA championship in 2026?

Tracy McGrady (28:41)

Denver Nuggets.

Esperahini (Host) (28:42)

Denver. Okay.

Tracy McGrady (28:44)

All right.

Esperahini (Host) (28:44)

I like it. MVP. Who's winning MVP?

Tracy McGrady (28:48)

Jokic.

Esperahini (Host) (28:48)

Jokic. Jokic. And the Nuggets. Okay. Which Raptor should have their jersey retired next? Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan?

Tracy McGrady (28:55)

DeMar DeRozan. No question.

Esperahini (Host) (28:58)

Okay, okay. All right. Who is the goat greatest of all time?

Tracy McGrady (29:03)

There's a bunch of goats.

Esperahini (Host) (29:05)

I like that.

Tracy McGrady (29:06)

Ghost, actually.

Esperahini (Host) (29:08)

I agree with that. I agree with that. That's a good. That's a great answer. Who's better, Paolo or Franz?

Tracy McGrady (29:14)

Who's better? I think that they're both good at what they do. I think Franz is a great downhill driver. Better than Paulo. I think Paulo all around just has more game than Frost. They both. They complement each other.

Esperahini (Host) (29:29)

I like it. That's the studio analyst answer right there. That's the studio.

Tracy McGrady (29:33)

I'm getting better.

Esperahini (Host) (29:36)

James Harden or you in your prime, one on one?

Tracy McGrady (29:41)

Oh, no, I'm six nine, bro. I can shoot that thing. Hey, Nah, nah, nah, nah. Okay, all right, look.

Esperahini (Host) (29:49)

Hey, two Rockets legends. I'm just. I just want to make sure we. Who we. Who we are going with here? Tmac, we are very excited to see you guys on the broadcast. It's going to be awesome. Very excited for NBC to be back and covering the NBA. We Appreciate you coming on the NBA Daily, man. Thank you so much.

Tracy McGrady (30:07)

Thank you man. Appreciate you. Have a great day.

Esperahini (Host) (30:10)

Thank you very much for tapping in with myself and Tracy McGrady. Make sure to follow us here on YouTube like comment subscribe do the things that you guys usually do. We'll see you later.

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Tracy McGrady (31:10)

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