T Mac Tanked Interview with Celtics to avoid being drafted by them

[boscel33]

That was a terrible draft year, I may have taken him anyway.

[Who]

That was a terrible draft year, I may have taken him anyway.

I was surprised T-Mac went so low after the success / promise shown by Kobe Bryant the year before. T-Mac was so similar to Kobe in terms of athleticism and skill level. It never made sense to me that he slipped to #9.

[Finkelskyhook]

Hardly surprising.....He had a history of tanking for trades.

[green_bballers13]

Once a loser, always a loser.

Super harsh take. TMac is one of the better players in NBA history and got hit with a series of often injured players. Grant Hill and Yao were highly respected players that couldn't stay on the court.

[Moranis]

Once a loser, always a loser.

Super harsh take. TMac is one of the better players in NBA history and got hit with a series of often injured players. Grant Hill and Yao were highly respected players that couldn't stay on the court.

he avoided the Celtics because he didn't want to work and then never made it out of the 1st round as a rotation player. He asked out of Tpronto the first chance he got. And maybe just maybe he got hurt all the time because he didn't put the work in. McGrady was an incredibly talented player, but he often got by on his talent.  He never struck me as a gym rat who wanted to win at all costs, stories like thus just confirm that stuff.

[JSD]

I like how he said nothing against Boston he just didn’t like Pitino. He also said that he was 18 and the real decisions were coming above his head. His agent didn’t like Pitino either

[green_bballers13]

Moranis, you made it up that he didn't want to work hard for Pitino. He never said that. He was getting advice from his advisors not to go to Boston. He made the right call. Pitino was much more of a mess than McGrady.

[Moranis]

Moranis, you made it up that he didn't want to work hard for Pitino. He never said that. He was getting advice from his advisors not to go to Boston. He made the right call. Pitino was much more of a mess than McGrady.

Boston worked out fine for Antoine, Pierce, and a whole bunch of other players that were brought here by Pitino.

[green_bballers13]

Moranis, you made it up that he didn't want to work hard for Pitino. He never said that. He was getting advice from his advisors not to go to Boston. He made the right call. Pitino was much more of a mess than McGrady.

Boston worked out fine for Antoine, Pierce, and a whole bunch of other players that were brought here by Pitino.

I'm sure they had different advice from their advisors. I think it showed courage for McGrady to turn down a bad opportunity. I think most young players would try to go as high in the draft as possible, regardless of their long term prospects.

I don't think Boston actually worked out for Antoine or Mercer, but that's just my opinion. I never thought that team that went to the ECF vs the Nets was any good. That squad would have lost 4 games in a row by double digits to the Lakers in the Finals.

I don't understand any reflex to defend Pitino's stay in Boston. He created a toxic situation as a coach, and he perpetuated instability as a GM. He set the franchise back.

[Who]

Once a loser, always a loser.

Super harsh take. TMac is one of the better players in NBA history and got hit with a series of often injured players. Grant Hill and Yao were highly respected players that couldn't stay on the court.

he avoided the Celtics because he didn't want to work and then never made it out of the 1st round as a rotation player. He asked out of Tpronto the first chance he got. And maybe just maybe he got hurt all the time because he didn't put the work in. McGrady was an incredibly talented player, but he often got by on his talent.  He never struck me as a gym rat who wanted to win at all costs, stories like thus just confirm that stuff.

I've heard stuff about his practice habits as being (1) he just wanted to work on his own individual stuff / moves which he worked hard on (2) he had little interest in team practices and would give mediocre effort.

He never saw the value in leading by example in practice sessions and showing his teammates the effort that was required by them for them to win.

More interest in individualist efforts than team efforts.

[footey]

Once a loser, always a loser.

Super harsh take. TMac is one of the better players in NBA history and got hit with a series of often injured players. Grant Hill and Yao were highly respected players that couldn't stay on the court.

he avoided the Celtics because he didn't want to work and then never made it out of the 1st round as a rotation player. He asked out of Tpronto the first chance he got. And maybe just maybe he got hurt all the time because he didn't put the work in. McGrady was an incredibly talented player, but he often got by on his talent.  He never struck me as a gym rat who wanted to win at all costs, stories like thus just confirm that stuff.

Yet managed to get elected to HOF first ballot. Go figure.

[green_bballers13]

Once a loser, always a loser.

Super harsh take. TMac is one of the better players in NBA history and got hit with a series of often injured players. Grant Hill and Yao were highly respected players that couldn't stay on the court.

he avoided the Celtics because he didn't want to work and then never made it out of the 1st round as a rotation player. He asked out of Tpronto the first chance he got. And maybe just maybe he got hurt all the time because he didn't put the work in. McGrady was an incredibly talented player, but he often got by on his talent.  He never struck me as a gym rat who wanted to win at all costs, stories like thus just confirm that stuff.

Yet managed to get elected to HOF first ballot. Go figure.

Why couldn't he have been more like Walter McCarty?!?!?!

[ChillyWilly]

Once a loser, always a loser.

Super harsh take. TMac is one of the better players in NBA history and got hit with a series of often injured players. Grant Hill and Yao were highly respected players that couldn't stay on the court.

he avoided the Celtics because he didn't want to work and then never made it out of the 1st round as a rotation player. He asked out of Tpronto the first chance he got. And maybe just maybe he got hurt all the time because he didn't put the work in. McGrady was an incredibly talented player, but he often got by on his talent.  He never struck me as a gym rat who wanted to win at all costs, stories like thus just confirm that stuff.

Yet managed to get elected to HOF first ballot. Go figure.

HoF without playing a lick of defense. TMac would be an all time great if he wasnt just playing for the ESPN highlights and Scoring records.

[Moranis]

Once a loser, always a loser.

Super harsh take. TMac is one of the better players in NBA history and got hit with a series of often injured players. Grant Hill and Yao were highly respected players that couldn't stay on the court.

he avoided the Celtics because he didn't want to work and then never made it out of the 1st round as a rotation player. He asked out of Tpronto the first chance he got. And maybe just maybe he got hurt all the time because he didn't put the work in. McGrady was an incredibly talented player, but he often got by on his talent.  He never struck me as a gym rat who wanted to win at all costs, stories like thus just confirm that stuff.

Yet managed to get elected to HOF first ballot. Go figure.

he was incredibly talented, but thay doesn't make anything I said untrue.hurt a lot, didn't win a 1st round series, bailed on teams when it got hard.  There are lots and lots of players that had poor work ethics and didn't want to work.  That is how McGrady came off in that interview.  And it isn't like he didn't have a selfish player reputation when he played. Perhaps of he put the work in, he'd have multiple rings and be thought of as one of the greatest players ever, instead of a talented guy that couldn't win.

[gouki88]

Once a loser, always a loser.

Super harsh take. TMac is one of the better players in NBA history and got hit with a series of often injured players. Grant Hill and Yao were highly respected players that couldn't stay on the court.

he avoided the Celtics because he didn't want to work and then never made it out of the 1st round as a rotation player. He asked out of Tpronto the first chance he got. And maybe just maybe he got hurt all the time because he didn't put the work in. McGrady was an incredibly talented player, but he often got by on his talent.  He never struck me as a gym rat who wanted to win at all costs, stories like thus just confirm that stuff.

Yet managed to get elected to HOF first ballot. Go figure.

HoF without playing a lick of defense. TMac would be an all time great if he wasnt just playing for the ESPN highlights and Scoring records.

You can live with average defence if it accompanies all-time level offence.