Interview with Tracy McGrady NBA Live 07 cover player Tracy McGrady talks career and gaming. October 3, 2006 by Chris Buffa Last Wednesday, EA held an NBA Live launch event at the NBA Store in NYC, and much to the delight of yours truly, the press was able to get some up close time with Houston Rockets player and NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady. The famous basketball player discussed being on the cover, Terrell Owens, and the upcoming NBA season. [Editor's Note: Questions were asked by various members of the press.] How is this year's NBA Live? What's really great is our style of play is actually instilled into the game. Whatever I do on the basketball court is in the game. If I take over a game, I can get hot, I can get in that zone. It's in the game. You can be a playmaker. Guys like Kobe can go off at any time. Lebron is a high flier. I think that's really impressive. Have you talked to Terrell Owens at all? I talked to him a little bit. Were you shocked by what happened? I was shocked, but I don't know what's going on. I know people want to put their opinions in and make up stories. But I don't know what's going on so I really can't comment on it. Are you concerned at all? Yeah I'm concerned. I'm a big fan of T.O. I love what he brings to the game of football. I know you guys don't like all that extra stuff but I love it. I love it. He's a show, and people are going to pay to watch the show. He's just a hell of a player, but yeah, I'm concerned about him. How often do you play NBA Live and how cool is it to see your face on the cover? Considering that we have so much downtime on the road, this is what keeps me occupied. I'm not that good though. As many times as I've played this game I'm really not that good. Tony Parker was beatin' my head in all morning. It's an honor to have my face on the cover. There's so many guys, so many great players in our league that can be fortunate enough to be on this cover and they chose me. How good a job did they do with your image? It's me. I'm having like, an out of body experience. That is me right there, and they took everything that I do on the basketball court and put it into my character. They also got my shoes, my tattoos and everything. It's unbelievable. Do you play as yourself? I don't play as anybody else. I don't shoot the ball with anybody else. I shoot with myself. I'm not that way in person, but just in the videogame. I'm selfish. I am selfish. You don't pass? I don't pass the ball. I shoot every time, even if I'm facing a double team and I'm fading away out of bounds. I'm shootin' the ball with my character! Are you worried about a curse, like with Madden? See, that's what I've been telling people. This is not Madden! So why do you think there's been no issue with NBA Live? I don't know, but from what I've seen from last year...who was on this cover? D. Wade? And he won the championship. Hell yeah! What's your first memory of Live? Geez, like 95. How do you think it's progressed from then to now? Come on! [Laughs] The graphics are just unbelievable. Each year just gets better, with the emotion in the players' faces, the movements with their feet, sweat pouring off guys. Do you get mad when you miss shots in the game that you know you can make? Yeah! I was actually about to break the controller this morning because I couldn't hit a damn shot. I went five for twenty something. But I refuse to shoot the ball with anybody else, so I don't care how cold I am. I'm going to get hot. You don't take yourself out? See, I play with fatigue off. I got it going turbo the whole game. How do you feel? I'm good. I'm healthy and I feel real good. What do you think of Yao Ming's progression? I love it. But the thing about Yao is, can he do that when I'm on the basketball court with him? If he can do that, I don't care what anybody else does. That's going to help us out tremendously. What are you looking to get out of today with the fans? This is what I do. I do stuff like this all the time. This is what it's about. I don't shy away from my fans, because to me, I just like to see their expressions, hear the things they got to say, the questions they got to ask. I just like to be around and interact with them. They're here buying this game, and I'm on the cover, so it's only right that I give back to them. http://xbox360.gamedaily.com/game/features/?gameid=5275&id=1142 ----------------------------- Haha, he plays Live just like me. No fatigue, all Tracy McGrady. I only shoot with T-Mac unless I HAVE to give it to someone else or throw Yao a nice assist/alley-oop. Amazing.
Also, check this T-Mac Interview on Sports Bloggers Live. http://us.video.aol.com/audio.full.adp?pmmsid=1730768
