Tracy McGrady said he would value an NBA MVP over a championship. Olden Polynice disagreed. That should have been a good basketball debate. Instead, it became a judgment of T-Mac’s character.
Polynice opened with the “things losers say” jab. McGrady fired back by saying Polynice spent 15 years “running sprints.” Olden then objected to the disrespect while taking shots at T-Mac’s career himself. At that point, both men were talking trash. Let’s call it what it is: entertainment, not an integrity hearing. The exchange is recounted here.
Byron Scott made a fair point: Polynice had to do something right to last 15 years in the NBA. Absolutely. The same respect belongs to a seven-time All-Star and Hall of Famer who, in his prime, was an MVP candidate.
Personally, I think a championship with a Finals MVP would have done more for T-Mac’s legacy than a regular-season MVP. But I’m judging his résumé from the outside. T-Mac lived the career. If being named the league’s best player means more to him than owning a ring, that is his choice.
Fans love the game. Players love it too, while also making a living from it. We don’t get to demand that every player value the same trophy in the same way.
S³ Verdict:Debate MVP versus championship all day. T-Mac’s answer deserves an argument, not an attack on who he is.
