Me and T-Mac

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What’s good everyone? I’m sure you know by now that we extended our winning streak to eight games with a win over the Knicks on Saturday.

On a personal note, I also had the chance to go up against one of my favorite players as a kid, Tracy McGrady, who the Knicks got in a trade last Thursday.

It was T-Mac’s first game as a Knick, so I’m sure that had to be special for him. McGrady is a guy I really look up to. He’s been through a lot these last couple of years with getting hurt and he finally got his chance to comeback and show what he can do. Unfortunately, it was against us.

As a fan of the game, though, you just like to see him back on the floor in another team’s jersey. I’m happy for him. He’s a guy who I patterned my game after when I was young. The guy who taught me how to play basketball told me every game to play like Tracy McGrady. I had to get a certain amount of stats and I had to play with a certain demeanor on the floor. I tried to play like Tracy McGrady every game from when I was 10 years old till I was 16. If I didn’t play like him I had to do extra sprints. I would get in trouble. So that was a guy who I always watched.

How about you guys? Is there a player who you try to pattern your game after? Let me know in the comments section.

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  • yuvals23

    I look up to you. When i go out there as a small-forward, a goal of mine is to score, but my main goal is to get my team to win. That's what you do.

  • http://myspace.com/narutovsgoku Billy Fischer

    Man You were a beast last night as was T-Mac finally gettin a fresh start.But For Lacrosse i try and pattern my game after kyle harrison, just simply amazing man.i've watched everything and i try to duplicate it. BTW Congrats on all your 25+ streak tying with iverson.You can spass MJ On That :P

  • http://twitter.com/WShep Weston Shepherd

    As a kid I always tried to model my game after Ray Allen. I was always undersized and couldn't bang down low with the big guys so it was important to develop a shot that I could release quickly…and who better to model your shot after than Ray?

    Love watching you play, Kevin. You're giving all of us here in OKC a thrill this season. I hope I get the honor to watch you here for many years to come.

  • jrice3

    Def D.Wade, I dont really have all the height…but as far as athleticism and slashing to the bucket i patten my game after his

  • http://twitter.com/ThaSituati0n Aaron Starr

    Good Job last night KD, i was dissapointed that you made that 3, i wanted T-MAC to get a W in his debut but oh well it is what is..You guys deserved it. I liked that tiger woods fist pump you did after that 3 lol.

  • Al

    Bruce Bowen, that's my role model… I would like to play like Durant or Lebron, but I just don't have the skills, so I fight hard in defense and try to use all these little tricks to stop my pair…

  • http://twitter.com/DanWeiner DanWeiner

    I pattern y game after you, KD. Sure I'm short, fat, white and unathletic, but other than that I think my game is similar. Even though I'm four or five years older than you, I want to be like you when I grow up. Hook 'Em.

  • capkleen

    I used to try to pattern my after T-Mac too. And thats who you remind me of sometimes. Great game last tho!

  • JoshLoc

    I looked up to my brother when i was younger… but when i got older i learned that u have to play ur own game.. you can takes part of other ppl game in put it into ur own but at the end of the day its not how they play its how you play when it counts.

  • Ryan

    I think T-Mac should start patterning his game after you from now on!

  • christianyoung

    I pattern my game after Will Ferrell from Semi-Pro lol.

  • sanj

    i model my game after tmac too. im a point forward so i like the way he mixes stuff up.

  • KevinDthekid

    Nice Kev.. I know this would sound like I'm kissing up but it's true. I model my game after you because we have similar body type and both score a lot

  • Kyle

    A lot of dudes probably try to pattern their game after yours, but I think I really do help myself in trying to pattern my game after yours, KD. When you played for Texas I turned into an epic fan, whenever I played outside I would shoot again and again and again until my brothers said it looked like you shooting. hehe. I was 6'5 and skinny back then, so I needed to get my shots off much like you. I get pissed when haters still call u skinny, because I know you have put on a TON of muscle compared to your high school/college days, as have I. Anyway, apparently watching you helped my game enough that I got to start varsity guard. So, thanks KD, I owe you one. :)

  • http://twitter.com/Adel_C Adel Chouadria

    For my part, I'm still modeling my game after Jason Kidd and Reggie Miller. I hope I'll get it done :)
    I'm undersized but I still want to have a decent perimeter game and build vision on the court.

  • aalok

    back when i was in middle school (8 days older than u so the same time) i tried to play like jason williams on fast breaks (minus the bad decision pull up treys) and i'd mimic kobe/mj by the time i moved up to SG in high school

  • Tk15

    I pattern my game after melo, i play bully ball :) lol

  • http://twitter.com/ShowSoFly Tristan Daniel

    considering my size and athleticism, as a kid I would model my game after Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury (pre-vaseline chewing, I'm a barbie girl strip teasing, tatooed head). I would try to get in the lanes and get by defenders like AI, and see the court like steph. Now that I'm older, I take a piece here and there from a lot of people's games. Kobe is my main role model. I think any player can watch Kobe, and add a dimension or two to their game. I watch how he dribbles into his shots, how he picks his shots, how he ignores or uses his defender. I watch how D wade is fearless going to the basket, and uses his steps so efficiently. Even though I don't have the stature, I still go to the basket like I'm Lebrons size. Like a freight train with no brakes, and they either watch me or foul me. K Smoove can show ne1 how to score. But he's 6'10, athletic, great shooter, somebody like me can't model his game after kd, but I wish I could. Lol. Kobe, d wade, lbj, starbury, d will, nate rob…I try to be a lil bit of all those guys when I step pon the court.

  • Stephen

    I try to pattern my game after Steve Nash. I shoot and drive to the lane well, but I have to work on my dribbling and passing skills so I can get better court vision.

    It's awesome watching you play, Kevin! Great job in improving the OKC franchise! I wish our economy got better at a rate like yours!

  • adam_schoe

    im from philly and im small and quick so i always tried to play like allen iverson

  • AC

    So if you get past the first round, you will have to extra sprints?

  • AC

    My bad, WHEN you get past the first round, will you have to do sprints?

  • keenanmartin

    It's kinda ironic… I'm 15 years old now… And I've looked up to you since I was 12. Your attitude sets you apart from every player in the game Kevin. Keep that up. Umma be playing against you one day… Or betting all of my money on you. Jay-Z pays Dwayne Wade. I'm paying YOU! Go Kevin!

  • vernonleongson

    i play like tmac also.the way i shoot j's and penetrate,i shake and bake like AI im the hottest playa in the philippines,,=p u must take me on a 1on1 showdown kd! hahaha…

  • http://twitter.com/LoloBLN LoloBLN

    Well, my game, just follow T-Mac moves to improve myself. I think he's the most enjoyable player to watch when he's healthy.
    Unfortunately last 2 years where bad news BUT fortunatelly you appear as a kind of T-Mac sucesor.

  • weimanmo

    I used to pattern my game after several players in the past, players like Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Jason Williams, Chris Paul, You and especially Dwyane Wade. (Besides those dunkin stuff of course, because I can't dunk (too short). But the last two years I stopped doing that, now I pattern my WORK ETHIC like you and Dwyane Wade. Because I think you will always have your own style of playing, you just have to put the extra little work to be a better player. and of course staying HUMBLE doing it. Just like you, that's why you in my Top 3 players. (Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade are the others). Keep doing ur thing, you are the man!!!

  • http://twitter.com/ackes99 pablo

    keep it up KD!! I follow every game of yours from Spain and certainlly you are the most determinant player around the league right know along with LBJ who is pretty amazing too!!! keep it this way and you'll be one of the greatest players of all time!! GUARATEED!!

  • Grant Stevens

    I pattern my game after Matthew Thomas Meredith. His post-up, turnaround hook shot in the lane over traffic is UNSTOPPABLE!! Other than M&M, there's really only one guy I look up to – Charles Smith of the Houston Rockets circa 1994. Tremendous talent that simply got buried beneath the over-rated Olajuwon.

    Keep up the good work K-Dur!!

  • Zach

    I'm kind of an undersized post player at only 6'3, so definitely modeling myself after guys like David Lee and yourself.

  • clutch shooter means a lot

    i would like to patern my game like a clutch player so i admire most reggie miller , tmac and also you KD35…

  • james noble

    i pattern my game with t-mac..also to you Kevin..both of you are my kind of players..i'm not that tall but i tell you i can shoot..hahaha..come and visit the PHILIPPINES if you have time..godbless

  • Roland Andreyanto

    i look up to tracy mcgrady.. and u have chance to be more than him,ure younger and got good talents around u in young thunder.. good luck..

  • Cameron

    I pattern my game after Charles Barkley offensively, and defensively after Gary Payton.

  • Andrew

    KD check out this write up about you over at Burnt Orange Nation. Best UT blog online IMHO. It's rare when someone brings together Oklahomans, and Texans congratulations. Hook'em!

    http://www.burntorangenation.com/2010/2/21/1320…

  • B_a_b_y1

    I just think u sexy :) #totallyofftopic LOL

  • Thomas30

    That's easy–I pattern my game like Magic Johnson. I am 42, so I looked up to Magic when I was in middle school through college. Although I am 6'3, I wanted to be a PG (in high school, 6'3 was considered tall for a PG), but I wanted to play all 5 positions (ala Magic), and I got to do that! But most of all, I wanted to win! I hate losing! At OU, I have no choice but to play G, but I did that in high school (I played PG at OU). And the OU coach was Billy Tubbs, and his style is a fast-paced style (like the Lakers' “Showtime”). Even though I don't play, in practice, I played PG in a fast-paced style, and it was a blast! I know your boy Russell Westbrook is a huge fan of Magic, and his inflections in his speech when he does interviews is the same as mine, because on the floor, we think like him. There is no doubt my favorite athlete, in any sport, is Magic Johnson.

  • Thomas30

    In fact, I became interested in you when you played for the Longhorns because you reminded me of Magic. You are 6'9 (actually 6'10) and listed as a guard, and you can dribble. I became excited because the Sonics (Thunder) was 2nd pick in the draft, and most experts said they would draft you (which they did!). But since I got to know you, you remind me more of Larry Bird. When I ask about your playing style, I said you remind me of a cross between Magic and Bird (am I correct?). And since I get a chance to know you better, you have all of the qualities of the perfect franchise player, and I'm glad the Thunder is in my city!

  • dmoody

    i'm like u kd, i tried to pattern my game after t-mac he is to dis day my favorite player of all time, dats who i look up to as a basketball player, u are my second all time fav player, u a grade A hooper in my opinion u play just like t-mac

  • Ben

    After T-Mac, too. I'm glad that an elite and soon to be MVP in the NBA patterns his game to my idol. And because of that you're my idol too, sir KD.

 

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