The NBA has seen its share of prolific scorers. Names like Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Wilt Chamberlain come to mind when we talk about fellas who can get buckets. But one name that's often taken for granted is Tracy McGrady. He not only graced the hardwood with one of the best mid-range games any of has ever seen, but he had one of the best sports nicknames of all time: T-Mac.
To complement his savvy offensive weapons, McGrady formed one of the most respectable signature lines of any professional athlete. Adidas took the Florida native under its umbrella and catapulted him into stardom. Though his career was plagued with injuries, T-Mac gave us exciting moments and sneakers that will be remembered forever. For all of those die-hard T-Mac fans out there, here is 1 of 1: The Sneakers Worn During Tracy McGrady's 11 Best Performances.
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adidas Mad Handle
Year: April 13, 2001 Versus the Washington Wizards
Stat Line: 49 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists
Sneaker: adidas Mad Handle
Tracy McGrady made it clear that he would have some of his best games when the Washington Wizards were in town. That trend continued when he exploded for 49 points in his triple-black adidas Mad Handle. The sneaker might have creased easily due to the synthetic upper, but they assisted T-Mac on some of his greatest moments prior to getting the signature treatment.
adidas T-Mac 2
Year: February 23, 2002
Game: Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Stat Line: 22 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists
Sneaker: adidas T-Mac 2
In a prime-time battle against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers, Tracy McGrady showed off his versatile adidas T-Mac 2. In the white/white colorway of his second signature shoe, T-Mac recorded his first career triple-double in a blowout victory.
adidas AST Pilrahna 3.0 "T-Mac"
Year: March 8, 2008
Game: Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Hornets
Stat Line: 41 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists
Sneaker: adidas AST Pilrahna 3.0
The Houston Rockets were in the midst of a 17-game winning streak when they took on the New Orleans Hornets on March 8, 2008. For the game, McGrady rocked the strap-friendly adidas AST Pilranhna 3.0 that he wore for the majority of that year. The shoe featured two forefoot straps and a bulky composition which helped T-Mac and his Rockets extend their streak to 18 straight wins.
adidas Mad Handle
Year: March 28, 2001
Game: Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Stat Line: 44 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
Sneaker: adidas Mad Handle
If only sneakers could talk. The adidas Mad Handle had the privilege of seeing an epic battle between Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson back in 2001. T-Mac wore the black and blue edition of the shoe during a heroic game versus the 76ers. McGrady booked 44 points and knocked down his first game-winning shot for the Orlando Magic.
adidas T-Mac 2
Year: February 23, 2003
Game: Orlando Magic vs. New Jersey Nets
Stat Line: 46 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists
Sneaker: adidas T-Mac 2
The adidas T-Mac 2 served as the signature that saw some of McGrady's best performances. For this go around, McGrady laced up the black/royal blue colorway that matched the Magic jerseys perfectly. In another efficient offensive display, T-Mac torched the New Jersey Nets with a triple-double that featured a smooth 46 points.
adidas T-Mac 6
Year: January 16, 2007
Game: Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks
Stat Line: 45 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists
Sneaker: adidas T-Mac 6
The T-Mac 6 featured the most technology the the Tracy McGrady line had to offer. GeoFit cushioning and a (then) innovative Ground Control System supported the rare athletic ability of someone like McGrady. It was another night in the office for McGrady as he efficiently dropped 45 points on the Mavericks.
adidas TS Lightspeed
Year: November 1, 2007
Game: Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz
Stat Line: 47 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Sneaker: adidas TS Lightspeed
In just the second game of the 2007-2008 season, Tracy McGrady decided to go HAM. Equipped with the adidas TS LightSpeed, T-Mac shot 17-27 from the field while making the Utah Jazz look like rec league players. After the T-Mac 6 completed the signature line, adidas laced T-Mac with this mid sneaker that he quickly became familiar with. The shoe displayed various leather components including micro-pebbled leather, woven leather, and perforated leather. Let them feet breathe.
adidas T-Mac 2
Year: March 8, 2002
Game: Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards
Stat Line: 50 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists
Sneaker: adidas T-Mac 2
Poor Courtney Alexander. It seemed like Tracy McGrady had the Washington Wizards circled on his calendar during the entire 2001 season. This performance marked T-Mac's first 50 point game of his career and came in a victory of the Wizards. Assisting his during this historical night was the sleek adidas T-Mac 2. Featuring a Torsion System, the TM2 is arguably the most popular sneaker from the T-Mac adidas series.
adidas T-Mac 3
Year: March 10, 2004
Game: Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards
Stat Line: 62 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
Sneaker: adidas T-Mac 3
Yep. Guess who? The Washington Wizards. Two years after his superhero performance, McGrady trolled the Wizards again with a 62-point masterpiece. The third signature in T-Mac's line featured adiPrene+ in the forefoot and a very interesting alligator print that ran throughout the entire upper.
adidas T-Mac 4
Year: December 9, 2004
Game: Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs
Stat Line: 33 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals
Sneaker: adidas T-Mac 4
It's moments like this that force you to stay in your seats until the game clock hits triple zero. With all hope lost, the Houston Rockets found themselves down by eight points with .42 seconds to go in the game. But Tracy McGrady ain't got time for that. In his most memorable career moment, T-Mac went on a 3-point flurry and scored 13 points in 35 seconds. Accompanying Mr. McGrady on this unheard of shooting display was his fourth signature sneaker: the adidas T-Mac 4. The sneaker was one of T-Mac's most innovative sneakers thanks to a lace-less composition and HUG System technology. The shoe also featured premium leather and an ankle strap for added support.
adidas T-Mac 5
Year: April 25, 2005
Game: Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks
Stat Line: 28 Points, 8 Rebounds, 10 assists, 1 eternal poster
Sneaker: adidas T-Mac 5
R.I.P. Shawn Bradley.
