Prime Tracy McGrady or Prime Kobe Bryant - st0rmb11's Blog

st0rmb11's Blog

Prime Tracy McGrady or Prime Kobe Bryant

Posted on September 3, 2011 at 07:53 AM.

I'm not going to actually spend much time typing up any blogs. However, I have decided to post any long forum posts that I make and that I spend a good while researching and typing.

So, basically, any forum post I make that I could also see being used as a blog entry on other sites to spark a debate.

That being said, I'll open up with a post I made just yesterday regarding who was better - prime Kobe or prime T-Mac?

I guess I would call McGrady's prime from 2001-2005 (4 years in Orlando, first year in Houston.)
Throughout that time he was among the top 5 players in the league (with prime Duncan, prime Iverson, prime Garnett, & a just past prime Shaq.), and he put up averages over that span of 27.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, & 5.3 assists with shooting percentages of 44% from the field, 35% from three, & 77% from the free throw line.

Kobe's prime (from '03 to '07, I guess. give or take a year either way)
He, too, was one of the top 5 players in the league, likely a top 3 player (with prime Garnett, LeBron, & still sort of prime Duncan).
Over that 5 year span, he averaged 29.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists with shooting percentages of 45% from field, 35% from three, and 85% from free throw line.

McGrady was a more willing passer, but you could argue that when Kobe was willing to pass, he was a better passer. In McGrady's defense, his prime was spent passing to the likes of Mike Miller, Pat Garrity, fat Shawn Kemp, John Amaechi, Bo Outlaw, and Juwan Howard, with his best teammate being Yao Ming.
Kobe's prime was spent passing to Shaq, Karl Malone, Robert Horry, Rick Fox, Caron Butler, and Lamar Odom.

McGrady was, in my opinion, an underrated defender, while Kobe was an overrated defender. However, I think that if you rate each their defense the way you should, they were both about the same. (in their primes).

McGrady was, obviously, the better rebounder, as he was taller, longer, and played with less rebounders than Kobe did. That being said, I'm not making an excuse for Kobe's rebounding numbers being lower than T-Mac's. T-Mac was a good rebounder.

As far as the eye test, watching T-Mac in his prime was like watching a cross between Scottie Pippen 2.0 and LeBron James BETA. Outstanding scorer from all over the court. Could get to the basket at will, and finish over anyone. He had sick handles, as I saw him cross over his share of defenders.The biggest knock on T-Mac back then was his lack of a killer instinct. He never seemed to go for the kill when he had it.

Kobe, in his prime, was the closest thing we've seen to Jordan (pre-championships Jordan. The stat stuffing Jordan we saw from '87-'90. Not the team oriented Jordan that led teams to titles and finally figured "it" out.). He could score from anywhere and everywhere (& often did.) When someone could convince him to pass, he was a good passer. I think Kobe really benefited from beginning to peak while Shaq was still there, so that when it was just him, it was a little easier for him to take the reigns. Had he had to carry the load at 21 or 22 years old, no telling how he would've been. I would dare to say his career wouldn't have turned out as it has. The one thing Kobe had over T-Mac (besides infinitely better teammates), was that Jordan/Bird/Miller close out instinct. He also had a mean streak, which we never saw from T-Mac.

In conclusion, it's really hard to pick one. Depends on what you're interested in. If you wanted an (at times too)unselfish player with a knack for putting up between 25 and 45 every night, but lacked a killer instinct, you have T-Mac. if you wanted a balls to the wall assassin, who could get you between 30 and 50 a night, but would likely be a horrible teammate, you wanted Kobe. Call me crazy, but I call it a wash.

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