implict type cast in generic method

Question

why do I get a compiler error in the following code stating: Cannot implicty convert type SpecialNode to T even though T must derive from NodeBase as I defined

Answer 1

See my answer from a previous post

Using Generics to return a literal string or from Dictionary

but the answer is

return (T)MySpecialNode

Because even you do the if check the compiler does not so you have to recast to T