Tracy McGrady discusses his chances against Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant in a one-on-one matchup and his confidence in winning.
The basketball world thrives on comparisons. Fans love to pit players from different eras or even contemporaries against one another, debating endlessly about who would come out on top. Tracy McGrady and Kevin Durant are two of the most gifted scorers the NBA has ever seen, and naturally, the question of who would win in a one-on-one matchup ignites heated conversations.
Who would win?
T-Mac was a force of nature during his prime. He was an artist with the basketball, combining finesse, power, and a silky-smooth jump shot. A two-time scoring champion and seven-time All-Star, McGrady had stretches of dominance where he was regarded as the best wing player in the league.
Then Durant arrived. Tall, lean, and equally adept at scoring from anywhere on the court, KD was hailed as a new version of McGrady, only better. The four-time scoring champion’s rookie season hinted at greatness, and as he developed, fans couldn’t help but compare his style to T-Mac’s.
Yet McGrady has never shied away from the conversation. When the topic of a one-on-one matchup between the two arose, McGrady quickly stepped in.
“Have you ever seen me shoot over seven-footers? You have your opinion about who you think would win, and all I’m saying is if you’re going to put me one-on-one in that box with KD, I was pretty damn good,” T-Mac said.
Tracy scored 13 points in just 33 seconds to lead the Houston Rockets to a miraculous victory over the San Antonio Spurs. It wasn’t just the points; it was how McGrady pulled it off—a deep three-pointer, a steal, another triple, and a game-winning four-point play. That kind of clutch performance under pressure is why he believes he could hold his own against Durant in a one-on-one setting.
The debate is tight
As with any sports debate, opinions vary widely, and among those who entered the fray for T-Mac vs. KD was JR Smith. Smith dismissed the idea of McGrady beating Durant, flatly saying in a tweet that KD would win and it wouldn’t even be close.
The Orlando Magic icon didn’t take kindly to such a definitive dismissal. While he refrained from directly claiming he would beat the Phoenix Suns star, he made it clear the matchup warranted respect.
“Nobody will ever know; I mean, you’re talking about two guys that can score with the best of them that ever played this game. I think the problem lies when the kid that plays for Cleveland tweeted out, ‘Is KD, not even close?’ Now you’re being disrespectful; I don’t know what his problem is,” McGrady said.
Ultimately, it’s about what could have been. While we’ll never know the outcome of a one-on-one game between these two icons, the conversation ensures their legacies remain intertwined, sparking the imagination of fans everywhere.