McGrady: 'If you're married, stick with your …
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tracy McGrady is surprised that Kobe Bryant didn't know better.
"If you're married, stick with your wife,'' McGrady said Thursday. "Don't do
anything crazy that's going to cause problems in your household. Keep a happy
family.''
Bryant is charged with one count of felony sexual assault on a 19-year-old
worker at a Colorado hotel on June 30. The Los Angeles Lakers guard has said
the sex was consensual.
"I hope he beats this and he can get back on the right track, stay focused and
just concentrate on basketball,'' McGrady said.
Before being accused, Bryant enjoyed a sterling image and was showered with
adulation from fans, advertisers and his peers -- McGrady included.
"Kobe's a great guy, he really is, and I never thought this would occur,''
McGrady said. "I just thought he was that perfect guy with a good, clean image.
"One minute, you're on top of the world. And then the next, endorsement people
are backing off of you.''
Bryant already has lost one of his many endorsement contracts; the maker of
Nutella chocolate spread is phasing out ads featuring Bryant in part because of
his legal troubles.
McGrady and Bryant, each a superstar at age 24, engaged in a season-long duel
for the league's scoring crown.
Bryant racked up nine consecutive games in February with at least 40 points.
But McGrady rose to the challenge, averaging almost 36 points that month and
the next to capture the title with 32.1 points per game to Bryant's 30.
"You'd hear everywhere, 'Who's the better player out of Kobe and T-Mac,'''
McGrady said. "It just so happened you had those guys going for the scoring
race, just competing every night at a high level. I thought it was good for the
league.''
The two were to play together on the U.S. Olympic qualifying team later this
month, but Bryant pulled out of the tournament less than a week after the
charge was filed against him July 18. He still plans to play for the U.S. team
at the 2004 Olympics.
"Hopefully, a lot of fans tune into what we're doing over there in Puerto Rico
and not so much worrying about what Kobe's going through,'' said McGrady, who
will be making his debut in international competition. "Every time you turn on
the channel, it's Kobe this, Kobe that. Hopefully, we can draw some of that
attention to us.''
Replacing Bryant on the U.S. team is McGrady's distant cousin, Toronto guard
Vince Carter. The two played together on the Raptors for two seasons before
McGrady signed with Orlando as a free agent in August 2000.
The Olympic qualifying tournament begins Aug. 20 in San Juan.
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