NEW YORK — Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady said he would rather win an MVP award than an NBA championship, reigniting the long-running debate over individual honors versus team success. McGrady, who has won neither an MVP nor a title, made the comments on a recent episode of his "Cousins" podcast alongside fellow Hall of Famer Vince Carter.
McGrady explained that a championship is for the collective while the MVP is for the individual, adding that nobody remembers the 10th or 11th man on a winning team. The clip spread quickly on social media in the days after it aired, where former NBA champions including Iman Shumpert took issue with his stance.
The conversation reflects how players without rings often frame legacy differently. As recently as 2025, Hall of Famer Allen Iverson said he does not regret not winning a championship, pointing instead to his impact on the game and how basketball changed his life as more important than a title. In another viral clip from the same podcast appearance, McGrady argued that if you replaced Kobe Bryant with him on the Lakers teams that three-peated in 2000, 2001 and 2002, he would have had a similar impact.
McGrady averaged 29.4 points in the playoffs from 2000 to 2003, a figure cited in the discussion. That average was tied with Shaquille O'Neal for second in that span, behind only Iverson at 30.9, with Bryant fourth at 26.5. The Lakers won championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002 during that window.
The debate also drew empathy for McGrady's context, noting his body betrayed him, his Orlando teams lacked talent, and his coach was Doc Rivers, who is routinely criticized for postseason shortcomings aside from the 2008 title many attribute to fortune. The piece framed McGrady as a legend without a true legacy, whose conversations about winning rarely go well for him.