T-Mac Leads the Pack - Tracy McGrady is the Best Athlete

To me, the best athlete must be more than a physically talented player. He must embody willpower and confidence. Yes, he would need amazing physical gifts for sure. But there's a mental part.

My choice is Tracy McGrady of the NBA. Before you say, "Pffft" listen to this. The greatest is usually an underdog. The marketing machine manipulates you into believing something else. The greatest is someone who defeats great odds, and shows calm consistency. But most of all, the greatest would need at least one unbelievably spectacular performance. Anybody can learn to be a robotic, good player. You would need a show that inspired all around.

The best athlete needs flexibility, almost to the point of being elastic. That is, he will adapt to the opponent. Creativity is a must, and being able to work through difficulties demands it.

As a 6'8" shooting guard, Tracy is arguably at the threshold of tall guards who aren't too tall for their own good. Yet he possesses the agility and speed of a much shorter guard. He's a superb jumper, excellent inside driver, and can create his own shot.

Tracy got into the NBA at the tender age of 18, right out of high school. He didn't get many minutes the first two seasons, and yet his career scoring average is 22.1 points. The reason he hasn't won a ring is bad luck - injuries, lousy teams, etc.

So you must be itching to know of the stellar performance. It was a game against the San Antonio Spurs in Houston on December 9, 2004. H-town was down 74-66, with 47.3 seconds left. In the NBA being down that much at the end is pretty much game over. And many poor Houstonians left the arena. They likely said, "I gotta beat the traffic, there's no way we'll win."

Enter T-Mac. Somehow he made 13 points in only 33 seconds. Most couldn't do that in an empty gym with a ball feeder. Four 3-pointers, including one in which he was fouled and being guarded by Tim Duncan. Every single three was special. The chances of making four consecutive threes in a row, for his percentage of 0.326 in 2004, was 1.1%. Factor in being hounded by defense and tired. But obviously this wasn't luck. The capstone three began from a half-court inbounds pass by San Antonio, with only 11.2 seconds and being up 80-78. After the Spurs passed it in, it was stolen three seconds later when Devin Brown slipped and lost it. Tracy got it, ran upcourt and swished his final three at 1.7 seconds. He could have tried to drive in for a lay-up, or slam dunk to get overtime, but he went for the win. Four threes, while being guarded by the likes of Bruce Bowen and Tim Duncan.

Tracy has been plagued by injuries lately, but I believe he'll get a ring one day. He's 30 years old, and probably past his athletic prime, but he has gained wisdom and confidence.