Magic Target Chet Holmgren Inspired By Tracy McGrady's Play Style

The potential No. 1 pick is inspired by the Magic legend.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 11, 2022

Magic Target Chet Holmgren Inspired By Tracy McGrady's Play Style /

ORLANDO - At first glance, you wouldn't think that Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady and potential No. 1 overall pick Chet Holmgren have a lot in common.

But after looking a little bit closer, the unlikely duo is a more similar than different.

The pair might have an Orlando Magic thread in common if Holmgren is drafted with the franchise's No. 1 overall pick.

If he comes to Orlando, Holmgren will get to play for the franchise that turned McGrady into a superstar and into one of the players he's inspired by.

"I watched a lot of T-Mac, [Hakeem] Olajuwon," Holmgren said in an interview with Stadium. "They use their size to create a lot of advantages."

If the Magic can get anything similar out of Holmgren than what it was able to get out of McGrady, Orlando is getting an incredible player.

During four seasons with the Magic from 2000-04, McGrady dominated the league, making the All-Star team in every year and winning two scoring titles.

McGrady averaged 28.1 points per game during his Magic tenure and was a trail blazer for being an oversized guard.

At 6-8, McGrady wasn't your typical guard, but he was able to use his size to create his own shot and make mismatches on other defenders.

At 7-0, Holmgren uses a similar strategy as a playmaker in the frontcourt. At the next level, Holmgren projects to be a power forward or center, but there are scenarios where Holmgren could be a point guard leading the offense.

"[My position] is going to change day-to-day, what I’m asked to do," Holmgren said.

Holmgren has the potential to be unlike any player the NBA has seen before, and with the game evolving how it is, a McGrady-Olajuwon hybrid could take the Magic to new heights.

Published Jun 11, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.