Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 at 6:25 pm  |  24 responses

Look Out For No. 1

TMac’s first days as a Rocket.

Tracy McGradyPhotograph by Keith Major
Originally published in SLAM 83

Why can’t Tracy McGrady always be this happy, backed by such a beautiful setting? Far too often, we have seen T-Mac, with his limitless talent, bogged down by injuries and first round exits. With Yao still in Houston and Ron Artest now added to the mix, though, we’re forced to wonder, could he possibly be smiling under blue skies again, come June ’09? — Adam Fleischer

  • Add a Comment
  • Share
  • RSS

Tags: ,

  • Tommy Vercetti

    First. I thought that this trade was gonna be good for the Rockets but it never panned out as planned.

  • http://slamonline.com/online/media/2008/10/slam-radio-the-most-unlikely-preseason-venue/ James The Balla

    Tracey use to be my second favorite player. As of current players. Now … he is not a bum, but he should get traded and start coming of the bench and reducing minutes so he can reduce injuries!!

  • http://slamonline.com/online/media/2008/10/slam-radio-the-most-unlikely-preseason-venue/ James The Balla

    Tracy*

  • http://blog.allenwalkerdesign.com Allen Walker

    James… LOL… “He’s not a bum….BUT!”

    He is a lazy ass bum and everyone knows it. He strolls up and down the court taking that slow ass jump shot (That never goes in while I’m looking) and can’t get a team with him, Yao, Alston + long haired foreigner out the first round of the playoffs.

  • http://slamonline.com/online/media/2008/10/slam-radio-the-most-unlikely-preseason-venue/ James The Balla

    Well he is still one of the best in the game. When even he is half healthy he drops 30 all the time. And his jumpshot is money … ask the Spurs!!

    Tracy is the man, just not right now. Hopefully he can get back on track for a couple last seasons.

    LOL?

  • http://slamonline.com Tzvi T

    Like always, Tracy’s head is in the clouds in this picture. If only he could have gotten his mental right.

  • http://blog.allenwalkerdesign.com Allen Walker

    He WAS the man. Maybe he needs to leave Houston and take another picture like the one on top of the page.

  • http://www.kicksonfire.com Anton

    He’s Number 1 on the knee transplant list

  • thesubwayconnection

    I loved Tracy. He’s a shadow of his former self. If he trained like most of the other guys in that top tier do, he’d be way less injury prone. Phoenix anyone?

  • http://www.nba.com JE

    Tracy’s still my favorite player, and as much as I like the Rockets, I’d love nothing more than to see him get traded to Pheonix.

  • http://www.nba.com JE

    Tommy: considering the best player they gave up for him was Steve Francis, it still turned out very well for them.

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    Nah we dont want T-Mac in ‘Zona.

  • http://www.hibachi20.blogspot.com Hursty

    Yeh Dacre- you have Grant Hill starting. Moron haha. JRich plays the 2 and Barnes is in no world better than McGrady at anything except hustling.

  • starbury&stevey

    much thiner than nowadays…oh T-Mac

  • Uzi

    Rockets got a line up that can even mess up good ol’ big fundemental !
    Seriously if Tracy runs off after these trades he must be crazy!!! Only line up that you got a shot at breakin the first round jinx you got goin on there.

  • Karl

    This just makes me depressed… look how happy he was in that rockets uniform back then. Cmon t-mac you can still elevate your came to what it was!

  • http://www.slamonline.com Ryan Jones

    That stupid 78-panel Rawlings ball Mac used to endorse and insisted on including in all his photo shoots…

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQEmmgDl9I Boing Dynasty

    My team gon’ win, so if you not on my team you gon’ wish you was on my team…

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    @ thesubwayconnection: Please, shut up about that Phoenix sh*t, okay? Its not about him training, its about him making some unwise decisions about when or when not to play.
    Training staff can only help to a certain extent.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    He’ll be back though, hopefully. I have to be optomistic. T-Mac, we want you back to top shape! Good luck!

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    @ JE: The trade was a good move, but you’re forgetting that Steve Francis was one of the top players in the league around that time. All-Star starter mean anything to you?

  • http://slamonline.com Sean

    *T-Pain

  • P.

    Only players from the “previous generation” that remain franchise players: Kobe, Garnett-Pierce, Nowitzki and Duncan. Sorry T-Mac, he used to be great but he never won and now he’s past his prime.

  • Nick

    @ Teddy the bear, I TOTALLY agree with you. He’s a high rising star!

Advertisement