Fansided

5 greatest moments in Tracy McGrady’s Hall of Fame career

By Philip Rossman-Reich

LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 15: Tracy McGrady #1 of the Eastern Conference All-Stars dunks against Kevin Garnett #21 of the Western Conference All-Stars during the 2004 All-Star Game on February 15, 2004 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 15: Tracy McGrady #1 of the Eastern Conference All-Stars dunks against Kevin Garnett #21 of the Western Conference All-Stars during the 2004 All-Star Game on February 15, 2004 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Dunk over Shawn Bradley

In his early days with the Toronto Raptors, Tracy McGrady was viewed more as an uber athlete. His claim to fame was finishing third place in Vince Carter’s legendary Slam Dunk Contest. He was a nice role player who needed some more time to grow into a player himself. But he was the prototypical athlete.

Everyone knew he had some monster dunks in him. It was not just the off-the-backboard dunk he put up in the All-Star Game. These were monster dunks over people. The kind posters are made of. Just ask Mehmet Okur during the 2003 Playoffs in Game 1.

His most famous poster though came in the 2005 Playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks. There, he drove baseline and saw the 7-foot-6 Shawn Bradley in his way.

That is no mountain for him to worry about. McGrady climbed it and dunked all over Bradley. That was a play that many would later claim put Bradley into retirement. ESPN even did a 30 for 30 Short based on McGrady’s dunk over him, and just how many people tried to put Bradley on a poster.

This was McGrady’s power at its rawest.

Sure, McGrady had the silky smooth and effortless jumper. That helped him extend his scoring and set up his attacks to the basket. But he had a ferocious drive too. And he would remind everyone just how powerful he could be. His dunks on NBA bigs like Bradley were everyone’s fear just as much as his pull-up 3-pointer.

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