Basketball legend Tracy McGrady scored was never the tallest player on the court, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the NBA’s greatest scorers and racking up seven All-Star appearances and two scoring titles. What were his secrets? How did he rack up so many points in so little time? And why are his tricks still relevant today? We examine the science behind how he did it and how you can use his scoring secrets to rack up more points in less time.
Tracy McGrady Scored
Learn to shoot off the dribble
Being able to get your defenders off balance and create shots is important for scoring. A lot of it is about footwork and knowing how to use your body to create space, but once you have that down, here are a few other scoring hacks you can use to create more points. By shooting off the dribble, you give yourself one less thing to think about—instead of thinking about how to create space or where your defender might be, all you need to do is react and shoot. It’s also helpful because it keeps pressure on your defender. When he’s worried about protecting against dribble penetration, he won’t be as focused on contesting every shot as hard as he could be.
Score at different angles
Some shots are harder to hit than others, find a good angle to attack. Move closer to your defender and aim for their feet, which will open up an angle that you can use to your advantage. If they have bigger feet (it happens), try aiming high and on top of them as they move across you. It’s a lot easier to hit at angles from further away, so find good spots before starting your attack run. You can usually find better angles if you make a few passes before actually going for it.
Learn how to execute difficult shots with consistency
Scorers can knock down shots no matter who is guarding them, practice scoring over defenders. Consistency is key in scoring, especially when on a team with limited time. You have to know how to work within your system, but you also need to know where your advantage lies and be willing to take full advantage of it when you get an opportunity.
Practice your floaters and runners
One of my favorite scoring hacks was taught to me by my coach, Nancy Lieberman. There are times when you need an escape move at all times, and floaters over giants is one of them. It sounds crazy, but it works for scoring big. Even if you can only finish with a layup at your size, executing a floater over a giant will help you get more points in less time!
Work on your footwork
If you want to score more points in less time, your footwork is crucial. Basketball is played with your entire body, so master your footwork to add points to your overall game. Whether you’re cutting through defenders for a layup or just moving around them, know how to get open and put yourself in scoring position. Tracy McGrady was one of the most gifted players of his generation, but he also had great footwork that helped him navigate his way to scoring position quickly. He would use quick dribbles and jump stops to create space between himself and his defender before attacking towards the basket. As an added bonus, these moves also help free up teammates as defenders are forced to respect your dribble penetration. Just be sure not to hold onto it too long!
Work on your finishing around the rim.
Tracy McGrady was never the most technically sound basketball player, but he scored more points than all but the biggest stars in NBA history. How? He mastered the art of scoring in tight spaces and along the rim, with his best moves coming off layups. His sweet spots were just inside the free throw line, where he’d fake left and right to get defenders leaning before exploding toward the hoop, often finishing with a finger roll or an up-and-under layup. This is one reason why I love Tracy McGrady—he made it his mission to score as many points as possible, no matter how inefficiently he had to do it.
T-Mac’s Big Secret
This isn’t to say a coach can help you score more points; they can. But they can also help you learn a few scoring hacks and scoring secrets, too. With that said, here is T-Mac’s big secret: If there is one thing he wishes he could have done better, it would be paying more attention to his footwork before he shot, instead of after. Even though McGrady went on to win several NBA titles and become an eight-time All Star, he still thinks about what might have been if he had invested in a coach who could teach him how to improve his footwork before shooting. When you think about it, investing in a good coach can pay off exponentially over time by helping your game on court—and even off court as well.
If you want to level up your shooting accuracy, we got you. We created the 6ixShooter Academy. A one-stop basketball training program to help elevate your game and become an unstoppable shooter with coach Seth McCoy a.k.a 6ixShooter. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
If you want to level up your shooting accuracy, we got you. We created the 6ixShooter Academy. A one-stop basketball training program to help elevate your game and become an unstoppable shooter with coach Seth McCoy a.k.a 6ixShooter. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
