Tracy McGrady praises NBA veterans for defying Father Time, contrasts modern longevity with his era
It's a tale as old as time — a player comes along and ascends to superstardom, and once his time is through and his skills diminish, he either accepts a lesser role or just fades into the background. Fans have seen this play out many, many times over the decades.
From Allen Iverson to Jason Kidd, Vince Carter to Tracy McGrady , to Shaquille O'Neal and Kevin Garnett , nobody has been immune to the effects of Father Time. But according to McGrady, something has shifted. Today’s superstars are finding ways to remain elite well into the later stages of their careers — a trend that’s been both surprising and refreshing to witness.
OGs are still hooping
When it comes to OGs balling out, one need look no further than LeBron James as a prime example. Despite being 41 and playing in his 23rd season, he averaged 20.9 points on an efficient 51.5 percent shooting, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game in the regular season. However, he hasn't been the only old guy to still be putting up impressive numbers.
Stephen Curry , 38, averaged 26.6 points while Kevin Durant , who's now 37, averaged 26.0 points per game this season.
"The times have changed. The old dudes are hooping right now, putting up like crazy numbers. They’re not really ready to give up their seat. They’re not ready to give it up," McGrady said .
"They still are the best players in the game."
More than anything, the franchises behind these stars continue to believe in them and what they can still bring to the floor. They may be aging, but their bite hasn’t dulled — those veterans can still carve up even the toughest defenses the NBA has to offer.
"I truly believe these guys are putting up these numbers because they still are the primary guys, right? They still have the ball in their hands. They didn’t go to a role," McGrady continued.
"Kevin Durant ain’t changed his role. Kawhi Leonard hasn’t changed his role. Paul George hasn’t changed his role… James Harden — when you have the ball in your hands in the NBA, you’re still going to put up numbers. It’s not like you lost your game. No, you still have the ball. You probably slowed down a little bit, but you still know how to play the game."
A far cry from past eras
Advances in medical technology and recovery methods have undeniably extended elite players' primes. A couple of decades ago, guys dreaded reaching 35, as it meant their playing days were already numbered, if not over. These days, players nearing 40 are still playing like they're in their prime days.
"When you look at our era and the guys that were the primary guys — when you were on the back end of your career, you was coming off the bench and you was a role player," McGrady pointed out.
"That stunted, you know, who you are because maybe you sustained an injury, maybe you just flat out sucked, you wasn’t any good no more, and teams kept you around," he added. "And I think with myself, I got injured. I had to go to another role. I couldn’t play that role. I had guys way better than me in front of me."
McGrady's decline came quickly. After earning All-NBA team honors in 2008, injuries piled up, and he bounced from team to team before playing his final NBA game in 2013 with the San Antonio Spurs . At that point, he was nothing more than a bench guy, averaging 5.2 minutes per game in six playoff matches during the Spurs' 2013 playoff run.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
