NEW YORK, April 17 (UPI) -- Tracy McGrady of Orlando claimed his first NBA scoring title Wednesday night in historic fashion.
The Magic' superstar swingman became the first player to average better than 32 points per game in 10 years. He also became the youngest player to win a scoring title in 29 years.
McGrady averaged 32.1 points per game as he dethroned two-time defending champion Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers.
McGrady's average is the highest since the 1992-93 season, when Michael Jordan scored at a 32.6 clip for Chicago. He easily outdistanced Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, who averaged 30.0 points.
At 23 years, 11 months, McGrady is the youngest scoring champion since Buffalo's Bob McAdoo, who was 22 years, 6 months when he won the first of three straight scoring titles in 1974. McGrady also is the first player who entered the NBA directly from high school to win a scoring title.
"It's really cool, a big accomplishment for myself," said McGrady, who never has won a playoff series. "I can't complain at all with where I'm at today, but I'm not satisfied with just this."
McGrady's season featured 50 games of 30 or more, including an astounding 14 in a row from March 5-April 1. He also had 11 40-point games, second to Bryant's 20.
Detroit Pistons forward Ben Wallace finished the season on the injured list, but defended his rebounding title as he averaged 15.4 per game, two per game more than his closest competitor, Kevin Garnett of Minnesota.
Wallace was dethroned as blocks champion by Atlanta center Theo Ratliff, who reclaimed the crown he won in the 2000-01 season.
Last season, Ratliff played just three games because of an injured hip. This season, he averaged 3.23 blocks over 81 games to edge Wallace, who averaged 3.15 blocks.
New Jersey guard Jason Kidd led the league in assists for the fourth time in five years, averaging 8.9 per game to beat out Memphis guard Jason Williams.
While with Phoenix, Kidd led the NBA in assists from 1999-2001. He dethroned Los Angeles Clippers guard Andre Miller, who led last season while with Cleveland.
Second-year center Eddy Curry of the Chicago Bulls ended the five-year reign of Los Angeles Lakers superstar center Shaquille O'Neal as the league's top shooter.
Known as "Baby Shaq" during his high school days in Illinois, Curry shot 58.5 percent (335-of-573) from the field to edge O'Neal, who shot 57.4 percent. Only 13 players made more than half their shots.
New York Knicks guard Allan Houston won the free-throw shooting crown at 91.9 percent (363-of-395). It was the first title for Houston, who edged Seattle guard Ray Allen (91.6 percent).
San Antonio Spurs swingman Bruce Bowen was the NBA's top shooter from three-point range at 44.1 percent (101-of-229). He beat out Milwaukee guard Michael Redd, who shot 43.7 percent.
Iverson did lead the NBA in steals for a record third straight season, averaging 2.74 per game to easily beat Phoenix forward Shawn Marion (2.28). Jordan and Alvin Robertson also won three steals titles, but not consecutively.
