Phoenix Suns: Tracy McGrady says Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal two of NBA's best 1-on-1 players
Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady considers Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant the best “1v1” or 1-on-1 forward in the NBA.
“I’ve got to go with KD,” McGrady said during an interview from his OBL league DUNK posted on Instagram. “I don’t think nobody is better than KD. His shooting ability, 7-foot. KD reminds me of myself being able to get to your spots in three, four dribbles.”
The interviewer followed by saying no one is like McGrady, but McGrady reiterated that Durant is like him in terms of how he gets to his spots on the floor to elevate and launch.
"Just get there."
Kevin Durant on getting to his spot for the game winner over Tim Hardaway Jr. in #Suns win over #Mavs.
"Once I had him on my hip, I felt like I was in good position to just stop on a dime. Glad I made it." https://t.co/Em19MzTouP pic.twitter.com/3oHJv7I77O— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 5, 2023
“KD doesn’t need 10 dribbles to get his rhythm to rise up,” said McGrady, who is considered one of the best players ever at playing 1-on-1 in scoring 18,381 points in 15 NBA seasons. “KD needs about three to four dribbles, and he is in his spot. He gets where he wants to go in less dribbles and he is efficient. So I got to go with KD.”
Durant will enter his first full season with the Suns after joining the team via blockbuster trade right before the Feb. 9 deadline. Durant is 13th all-time in the NBA in scoring at 26,892 points, but he is the only one in the top 20 to have played less than 1,000 games.
The two-time finals MVP has played 986 regular-season games. Durant’s entering his 16th season of actually playing as he missed the entire 2019-20 season, returning from an Achilles injury suffered in the 2019 finals while playing for Golden State.
Toronto topped the Warriors in the 2019 finals.
McGrady also asked who was the top “1v1” guard in the NBA and he mentioned new Suns addition Bradley Beal after saying Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving is the best.
He also named four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry of the Warriors, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox and Beal.
“I think there are a handful of guards I think are must-see TV in 1v1,” said McGrady, who has put on “1v1” tournaments through his OBL league. “There’s Steph, Kyrie. Dame is one of those guys. I’d even put somebody like a Bradley Beal in there. Fox, De’Aaron Fox, but to me, it’s Kyrie.”
The Suns traded for Beal in the offseason in a deal that sent Chris Paul to the Washington Wizards. Paul later landed with Golden State in a trade that put Jordan Poole with the Wizards.
Beal is the second all-time leading scorer with the Wizards 15,391 points. Playing 11 NBA seasons in Washington, Beal is the franchise’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made at 1,514.
The interviewer later asked McGrady if he thinks Irving is the best 1-on-1 guard in the NBA.
“I crown Kyrie as the best guard in the league,” McGrady answered in the 45-second clip.
The interviewer followed by clarifying this being 1-on-1 and McGrady simply responded by saying, “Yeah.”
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Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns: Tracy McGrady says Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal two of NBA's best 1-on-1 players
