McGrady didn’t have much glory, but why was her popularity so high back then?

June 9, in the memory of Chinese basketball fans, Tracy McGrady is a name that cannot be avoided. Although his career honor book is not particularly rich - 2 NBA scoring champions, 7 All-Stars, 2 All-Squad Team One, and the famous "35-second 13" miracle, his popularity in the hearts of Chinese fans is far beyond many stars with higher achievements. The reason is that McDindy's elegant and elegant playing style and her extremely ornamental technical movements are the key to his capturing of countless fans.

McDy's style of play is first reflected in his breathtaking physical talent. At 2.03 meters tall, he has excellent wingspan and amazing bounce, which allows him to easily complete various difficult movements on the court. His first step is extremely fast to start, and the defensive players often have already entered the penalty area before they can react. His pull-up jump shot is even more amazing - the jump height is high, the shooting point is high, and the slightly leaning back posture makes it almost impossible for the defenders to block. This "ignoring defense" scoring method is full of personal heroism, which naturally makes fans fall in love with it.

McDy's technical moves are the most memorable ones. Whether it is the tomahawk buckle in the fast attack or the one-handed dunk after the breakthrough, it is full of a combination of strength and beauty. At the 2002 All-Star Game, his self-snatching action is still talked about by fans. His dunk is not as violent as Carter or as skillful as Kobe, but rather has a lazy but elegant temperament, as if he can complete various difficult movements without any effort. This feeling of "lifting weights and lifting lightly" is a reflection of McGrady's unique charm.

In addition to physical fitness and technical movements, McGrady's game temperament is also an important factor in attracting fans. He always had a casual expression on the court, as if he didn't care about the game, but he could suddenly explode at critical moments and take away the game with a series of scores. This "sleepy-eyed" but hidden murderous intent adds a bit of mystery to him. The "35-second 13" against the Spurs in 2004 was a perfect reflection of this trait - when everyone thought the game was over, he rewritten the ending in his own way. This kind of "desperate the will of heaven and change fate" drama can best touch the heartstrings of fans.

McDy's popularity is also due to the tactical system of his team. During the Magic period, he was the absolute core of offense and had unlimited fire power, which allowed him to fully demonstrate his scoring ability. In the 2002-03 season, he averaged 32.1 points per game, winning the scoring champion, and leaving behind countless classic games. During the Rockets era, his combination with Yao Ming made Chinese fans feel even more intimate. Although injuries affected the achievements of the pair, McGrady's performance during the Rockets, especially the scene of Bradley riding a buckle, is still a regular in NBA promotional films.

It is worth mentioning that McGrady's style of playing just fits the development trend of basketball aesthetics in the early new century. In that era of emphasis on personal heroism, fans were eager to see superstars change the performance of the game with their own strength. McGrady's pull-up jump shot, breakthrough dunk, and scoring explosiveness at critical moments perfectly meets this demand. In contrast, a star like Duncan with solid basic skills but insufficient ornamentality is far less popular than McGrady. This era background is also an important reason why McGrady was able to gain such high popularity.

Of course, McGrady's popularity is also inseparable from the help of media and commercial promotion. The T-Mac series sneakers designed for him, especially the third and fourth generations, became one of the most popular basketball shoes of the time. His cooperation with Yao Ming on the Rockets has given him unprecedented exposure in the Chinese market. The NBA officials are also happy to promote such a gorgeous star. His game highlights often appear in various promotional videos, further expanding his influence.

From a deeper perspective, McGrady's high popularity reflects the essential charm of basketball - it is not only a competition, but also a performance. Fans not only care about the outcome, but also long to see the pleasant game. McGrady may not be the most successful player, but he is definitely one of the players who knows the best how to make the game look good. Every score he scored was like a carefully designed performance that allowed the audience to enjoy in their amazement. This ability to perfectly combine competition with art is the reason why McGrady can still win such high popularity without much honor.

Today, although McGrady has retired for many years, he still occupies a special position in the hearts of Chinese fans. Whenever he plays his elegant pull-up jump shot or a chic breakthrough layup, he still arouses countless praises. In modern basketball that pursues efficiency and data, there are fewer and fewer players like McGrady who bring their personal style to the extreme, which also makes fans miss the era of T-Mac even more. His story tells us that in competitive sports, victory is important, but being able to interpret the competition and impress the audience in a unique way is also a rare achievement.