Amid Cloud of Doubt, Tracy McGrady’s 1-on-1 Concept Could Help NBA Regain Popularity

For years, the NBA All-Star Game was a must-watch, a battle for bragging rights between the league’s best. But those days feel like a distant memory. The league has experimented with new formats to reignite the spark, but if you ask 4x All-Star Draymond Green, it’s been a disaster. “Now we get the treat of watching the Olympic team vs a U19 team,” Green said, giving the game a solid zero.

Green isn’t alone in his disappointment; NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley also criticizes the new format, attributing the issues to the current generation. “I’m going to disagree with Draymond A LOT,” Barkley said bluntly. “They messed the game up! His generation messed the game up! We’re doing every type of trick to make this weekend exciting.”

So, how can the NBA regain its popularity? Enter Tracy McGrady. The seven-time NBA All-Star has a bold idea that could shake things up—his 1-on-1 basketball league. Called the Ones Basketball League (OBL), it shines a spotlight on elite 1-on-1 players who often go unnoticed in the NBA’s traditional structure.

“The best 1-on-1 basketball players is not in the NBA, they’re just not. So that’s why I created OBL—to give them the platform. So they can showcase their skills,” McGrady recently said. But do you know how it all started? His teenage son played a key role in bringing his vision to life.

It all began when McGrady’s son stumbled upon a YouTube video of a heated 4-on-4 street basketball game. The raw energy, passion, and talent on display struck a chord with T-Mac. “There’s a whole underground world of amazing basketball talent out there,” he said. That moment sparked the creation of OBL, a league that could bring back the competitive edge the NBA desperately needs.

Tracy McGrady’s OBL is success

Last year, McGrady couldn’t hide his excitement when reflecting on the Ones Basketball League’s (OBL) debut season. In an interview with Forbes, he admitted the league had exceeded expectations. “OBL has performed even better than we had anticipated,” T-Mac shared, emphasizing how the platform had already uncovered hidden gems in the basketball world.

The 45-year-old didn’t mince words about its importance, either. “There’s always been incredible talent outside the NBA,” McGrady noted, reinforcing his belief that elite-level players exist beyond the league’s radar.

But for McGrady, this isn’t just about showcasing talent, it’s about building legacies. Unlike his own journey, where he skipped college and went straight to the NBA with the Toronto Raptors, OBL offers another path for those who might otherwise go unnoticed.

“What I’m building with OBL is a platform for these players to create a legacy for themselves,” he said.

Yet, McGrady isn’t only thinking about the present. He sees OBL shaping basketball’s future. The rise of 1-on-1 basketball, particularly among younger players, has caught his attention. “I have two sons who play the game, and there’s a lot of buzz around 1-on-1 basketball,” McGrady mentioned. As interest continues to grow, OBL could be leading the charge in redefining the sport’s next chapter.