Shane Battier, a respected former NBA role player, has praised LeBron James as the greatest player in the league yet singled out Tracy McGrady as the superior passer. Battier’s comments contribute to the ongoing LeBron James best passer debate by highlighting that despite LeBron’s all-around brilliance, there are players he believes excelled more in specific skills like passing.
During his tenure alongside LeBron James on the Miami Heat, Battier witnessed James’ impact firsthand. However, Battier feels that LeBron’s passing, while effective, was sometimes inconsistent compared to the precision of McGrady, with whom he shared a four-year stint on the Houston Rockets.
Shane Battier Reflects on Passing Skills from His NBA Career
Battier’s role with the Miami Heat was pivotal during their back-to-back NBA Finals appearances, particularly in 2013 when his shooting helped secure a Game 7 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Despite benefiting from LeBron’s assists on many of these shots, Battier believes McGrady’s passing was more reliable and accurate.
On The Draymond Green Show, Battier remarked,
“He always put it on time and on target,”
praising McGrady’s timing and precision when distributing the ball. This compliment is notable considering McGrady averaged 6.5 assists per game during the 2006–07 season, which was the best of his career, accumulating over 4,000 assists in total.
Battier’s Experience with Passing in Miami Versus Houston
Battier shared his frustration with LeBron’s and Dwyane Wade’s sometimes erratic passing while on the Heat. He recounted,
“I used to yell at LeBron and D-Wade, like, ‘Dude, you want assists? Hit me in the chest.’ They would be throwing it at my ankles or over my head,”
highlighting moments of inaccuracy that he found challenging as a teammate relying on precise passes.
By contrast, Battier insisted that McGrady’s passing was flawless, stating,
“T-Mac never missed a pass. Never,”
underscoring the consistency that made McGrady exceptional in his eyes despite LeBron’s overall reputation.
Battier Praises LeBron’s Leadership While Favoring McGrady’s Precision
Though critical of LeBron’s passing in some respects, Battier defended LeBron’s overall greatness, even jokingly commenting on how LeBron accomplished something Michael Jordan never did by winning two NBA titles with Battier as his starting power forward. He said on Pablo Torre Finds Out,
“LeBron did something twice that Jordan, I don’t think, could have done once. He won two NBA titles with Shane Battier as his starting power forward. No way—no way—Jordan could have done that. As great as Jordan was, LeBron dragged me across the finish line. The albatross had never been so heavy,”
emphasizing LeBron’s leadership and clutch performances.
Despite this high praise, Battier maintains that LeBron does not hold the title of best passer among his teammates, a surprising claim given LeBron’s impressive career totals of over 11,500 assists. Battier’s perspective introduces an interesting nuance to the LeBron James best passer debate, suggesting that raw statistics don’t always capture the full story of playmaking quality.
Implications of Battier’s Passing Assessment for LeBron’s Legacy
Battier’s remarks encourage fans and analysts alike to reconsider how they evaluate passing skills even among elite players like LeBron James. While LeBron’s vision and ability to facilitate offense are widely recognized, Battier’s firsthand experience brings attention to more subtle aspects of passing such as timing and accuracy that may differentiate great passers from the very best.
The conversation sparked by Battier’s comments may lead to further debate about how greatness in passing is defined and measured, especially in comparison with iconic players like Tracy McGrady. As LeBron continues to shape his legacy, these varied perspectives enrich the understanding of his strengths and areas where other players have outshined him.