Tracy McGrady Named His All-Time NBA Starting 5

Tracy McGrady is one of the most underrated shooting guards in NBA history and could score with the best of them during his prime. He was relentless with the ball and if injuries hadn’t held him back, there’s no telling just how much more he could have achieved. He led the league in scoring in two years and was always prolific at putting the ball in the hoop, whether it was for the Toronto Raptors, the Orlando Magic or the Houston Rockets.

He played among some all-time greats and in a post on his Instagram profile and shared by Basketball Network, he named the greatest starting five in NBA history, but made the surprising decision to leave Magic Johnson and Steph Curry off and selected someone else as his point guard.

Jason Kidd – Point Guard

While the majority would name either Magic Johnson or Steph Curry the greatest point guard of all time, and by default select them in this team, McGrady decided to go with former New Jersey Nets star Jason Kidd instead. The now 52-year-old represented the Nets for seven years, but also shone with the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns during a 19-year stint in the NBA.

He isn’t necessarily who many would think of when it comes to the best point guards ever, but Kidd was elite and made the All-Star team on 10 occasions. He also won one championship with the Mavericks in 2011 to etch his name into the history books forever. Now a head coach, Kidd hasn’t been quite as successful as he was on the court.

Michael Jordan – Shooting Guard

While McGrady’s choice for point guard might have caught some people off guard, there are no prizes for guessing who he went with to join him in the back court as he selected Michael Jordan. Considered the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan dominated the league throughout the 1980s and 1990s and turned the Chicago Bulls into one of the greatest teams to ever play in the association.

He could score and defend at an unearthly level and there was no one who could stop him on the court when he got going. Jordan won six NBA titles during his career and inspired millions all over the world. Over two decades after his third and final retirement, his legacy is still as strong as it was the day he stepped away,

LeBron James – Small Forward

If you don’t think that Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time, the chances are that you think LeBron James has that honour. The King has been tearing the association up for 22 years and is showing no signs of slowing down, despite being 40 years old. He’s shown a level of longevity that has never been seen before and there’s a good chance he could still be performing at a high level by the time he reaches 45.

LeBron is a true unicorn and excels in all areas of basketball, including defending, scoring and playmaking. He’s earned a reputation for his incredible passing, but is also the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. A testament to how special he is and it’s not surprising at all to see him picked by McGrady.

Tim Duncan – Power Forward

At power forward, McGrady selected one of the most underrated winners of the 21st century. Tim Duncan was at the heart of everything the San Antonio Spurs achieved during the 2000s and early 2010s. Nicknamed the Big Fundamental, he was one of the most well-rounded players in basketball and could do just about everything.

He wasn’t flashy, but Duncan always got the job done and did so at an incredibly efficient rate. Charles Barkley considers him to be the greatest power forward ever and there won’t be many who argue with that statement.

Shaquille O’Neal – Centre

To round out his all-time NBA starting five, McGrady selected Shaquille O’Neal at centre. The former Los Angeles Lakers big man is one of the most dominant figures to ever step onto a basketball court and routinely used his size and strength to bulldoze through the opposition and bully them in the paint and around the hoop. He could score at will from close and was also a defensive force that made scoring a nightmare for anyone.

Alongside Kobe Bryant, Shaq formed one of the greatest tandems in NBA history, winning three straight championships together and while there was no room for Black Mamba in McGrady’s team, he couldn’t leave O’Neal off.