[68] For the tournament, McGrady averaged 12.6 points and 2.9 rebounds a game on 54.4 percent from the field and 42.1 percent three-point shooting. The T-Mac beast we saw in 2000-2005 is forever gone. [85] Since 2016, he has worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN. [83] Upon retiring, McGrady shifted his focus to his business investments, including Dasdak, a Washington, D.C.-based technology company, and Blue-04, a bottled water company in Florida. [35] The series would go to a decisive Game 7, where McGrady came out cold, missing his first seven shots en route to a 40-point loss. Tracy McGrady finally reached the NBA Finals in June. [20] In November 2011, Carter, along with his cousin Tracy McGrady and Charles Oakley , addressed the Toronto audience in an interview on Off the Record with Michael Landsberg . [2], (TNT) McGrady discusses 2007 All-Star Game Selection, 2003 Tournament of the Americas – Gold medal, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, entered the NBA straight out of high school, United States men's national basketball team, 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season, List of National Basketball Association players with 60 or more points in a game, "Tracy McGrady Donates Cash To Upgrade Auburndale High School Gymnasium", "Tracy McGrady Reflects on adidas ABCD Camp & Playing LeBron on Christmas", "Tracy McGrady, humble but proud, highlights Hall of Fame inductees", "With $12-Million Deal, Prep Star Is NBA Shoe-In", "Rare Air It Figures That Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady of the Raptors Are Comparable Talents and Kindred Spirits. [77], McGrady has three children with his wife, CleRenda Harris. ESPN.com news services. "[73] McGrady was also a threat from outside, and would frequently pull up for deep three-pointers over unsuspecting defenders. [54], On February 18, 2010, McGrady was dealt to the Knicks as part of a three-team trade involving Houston, New York, and Sacramento. [2] In the first round of the postseason, the Raptors were swept by the New York Knicks. It was written. Sometimes these types of things are just built into their DNAs. [2] For most of the 1997–98 season, he received little playing time, averaging only 13 minutes per game under head coach Darrell Walker. I’ll let this be known. Despite holding the series lead, the Magic were eliminated in seven games. [78] Their first son, Laymen Lamar, was born on December 27, 2005, during a home game in Houston, which McGrady left at halftime. Even basketball aficionados can make a case for McGrady being better than Kobe around 2002-2004. Beginning his career as a low-minute player, he gradually improved his role with the team, eventually forming a duo with his cousin Vince Carter. [4] During his final year at Auburndale, McGrady posted averages of 23.1 points, 12.2 rebounds,[5] 4 assists, and 4.9 blocks per game. Here was this goofy kid coming out of high school into the NBA back in 1997 just like Kobe Bryant the year before. [6], A relatively unknown player coming out of Florida, McGrady made a name for himself after a strong performance at the Adidas ABCD Camp, an experience that helped him recognize his true talent. [25] ESPN later ranked his season one of the best ever for a perimeter player. [76] In 2016, Sports Illustrated listed McGrady as one of the 20 best basketball players since the announcement of the original 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. Two months later, the two-time scoring champion is walking away. [2] In response to the trade, McGrady stated that he was happy with the situation and expressed excitement over the prospect of playing alongside Rocket All-Star center Yao Ming. [28], The 2003–04 season was a tumultuous one for McGrady; Magic coach Doc Rivers was fired after a 1–10 start to the year and there were reports of friction between McGrady and Orlando General Manager John Weisbrod. "[12] By the 1999–2000 season, the duo had developed a reputation for their athleticism, giving memorable performances at the All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest. [3] As a youth, McGrady played high school basketball and baseball at Auburndale High School for three years before transferring to Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina for his senior season. It was somewhat true at the time depending on who you asked or argued with. 1 player in the nation, 175 to No. Sonny Vaccaro gave me that platform, and I played against the best players in the world at that time. Those doctors should be fired. [2] In Game 2 of the first round of the postseason, he had another signature performance, completing a "thunderous" dunk over 7'6" Dallas Mavericks center Shawn Bradley and hitting a game-winner for a 113–111 victory. [92] In July, he started the Atlantic League All-Star Game, where he recorded his first strikeout. [66] The U.S. qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games on August 30 with an 87–71 win over Puerto Rico; in the game, McGrady and Puerto Rico's Eddie Casiano were involved in an altercation which resulted in fans throwing drinks and debris on the court. Bill Simmons The Unfortunate Tale of T-Mac Tracy McGrady was a superstar who always seemed to find himself on the wrong team with the wrong players A s the summer passed, everything I witnessed during the 2013 NBA Finals blurred into one colorful, eclectic memory. [38], Early in the 2006–07 season, McGrady missed seven games, again because of back spasms, eventually deciding to visit a doctor and receive treatment for the injury as he felt that it was affecting his speed and explosiveness. McGrady was born on May 24, 1979, in Bartow, Florida, to Melanise Williford. [6] Initially, McGrady considered playing college basketball at the University of Kentucky, but he ultimately decided to enter the NBA draft as he was a projected lottery pick. In his first season with Orlando, Tracy McGrady proved to the rest of the NBA that he was an elite superstar in the making. The T-Mac beast we saw in 2000-2005 is forever gone. Click to see full answer. [image:http://www.flickr.com/photos/vedia/32617766/]. Back in August, after playing in the NBA for 16 seasons, Tracy McGrady made an appearance on ESPN First Take and announced that he was retiring. Totals Table Season Age Team Lg Pos G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% 2P 2PA 2P% eFG% FT [3], McGrady was selected as the ninth overall pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 1997 NBA draft. Zion Christian Academy) straight to the NBA without attending college. Don’t believe me? There was a time, somewhere around the 2004-2005 season where Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady almost killed basketball in Toronto. It isn’t over.” Man, he was on his way to Hall of Fame status. Tracy McGrady said he would retire if he did not start to resemble the McGrady of old instead of the old McGrady. All I kept thinking was, “This fool has got to shut the hell up. [11] In response to these criticisms, former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy described McGrady as a poor practice player but praised his coachability, unselfishness, and ability to perform well in big games. … [19], McGrady is often ranked as one of the greatest basketball players of all-time; The Book of Basketball ranked him 77th,[75] ESPN ranked him 63rd,[26] and SLAM Magazine ranked him 97th. I mean, this is it? It’s sad. [61] The Spurs eventually advanced to the 2013 NBA Finals, losing in seven games to the Miami Heat, which provided McGrady with the opportunity to play his first career postseason minutes outside of the first round. [40] His final averages were 24.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. Tracy McGrady - Career stats, game logs, biographical info, awards, and achievements for the NBA and International leagues. At a family reunion in Atlanta in July 1997, McGrady, who graduated from Mount Zion Academy in Durham, North Carolina was approached by Carter's grandmother who happened to discuss basketball with McGrady. [48][52] By then, his averages had declined to 15.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. His final seasons in the NBA were plagued by injuries, and he retired in 2013 following a brief stint with the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the San Antonio Spurs. This was probably the one where it launched this skinny unknown kid into scout’s eyes and Felton into the Bermuda Triangle. [2][30] Late in the season, McGrady scored a career-high 62 points in a winning effort versus the Washington Wizards. Tracy McGrady entered the Hall of Fame unsure of his place among the sport’s immortals. He was having a great series, too. [18], During the 2000–01 season, McGrady defied the expectations of many,[19] emerging as one of the best players in the NBA, with Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Ernie Grunfeld going so far as to call him "one of the top five talents in the league". [71] McGrady's playing style has been compared to George Gervin's because both players made scoring appear easy with their "smooth" approach to the game. Bob Levey/Getty Images 1. Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979 in Bartow, Florida, USA as Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr. Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr (b. [64], Standing 6 feet 8 inches tall (2.03 m) and weighing 210 pounds (95 kg), McGrady played as a shooting guard and small forward. “I asked T-Mac if he [14], Following Toronto's first-round exit, McGrady became a free agent, signing a six-year, $67.5 million contract with the Orlando Magic. May 24, 1979) is a shooting guard/small forward with the Houston Rockets. [2] CBA statistics per CBA Data Center. [70] At his peak, McGrady was an explosive player capable of finishing at the rim over the defense;[72] in a piece for ESPN, Zach Lowe reminisced, "He glided through the lane, crouched into traffic, and accelerated suddenly -- almost violently -- through a forest of slower-moving forms, and to the rim. Zion emerged as the number two-ranked team in the country, and McGrady was named a McDonald’s All-American, USA Today High School Basketball Player of the Year, and North Carolina's Mr. Basketball by the Associated Press. A Look Back When Tracy McGrady Did the Unthinkable During a Game. I left that camp the No. McGrady entered the NBA straight out of high school and was selected as the ninth overall pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 1997 NBA draft. "[11] Houston finished the season as the West's fifth seed, earning them a rematch with the Jazz in the first round. McGrady recruited NBA players to support an initiative linking schools in Darfurian refugee camps to American middle schools, high schools, and universities. [11], The Rockets struggled to begin the 2004–05 season, posting a losing record of 16–17 through their first 33 games. [89], On February 4, 2014, McGrady confirmed that he was officially pursuing his dream of becoming a professional baseball player, working with Roger Clemens to become a pitcher for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Oh well. He has been married to Clarenda Harris since September 12, 2006. McGrady did not retire, but he stewed so much after the deal that Rivers initially worried whether his franchise player would ever move on. After the NBA 2011 lockout, the Magic waived Arenas as the first casualty of a newly instituted amnesty clause. [20] In Game 3 of the series, McGrady notched 42 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists in a performance that Bill Simmons later called McGrady's "superstar audition tape". [6] His senior year averages were 27.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists,[9] 2.8 steals, and 2 blocks per game. McGrady will not retire any time soon, but the McGrady we used to see lives in nostalgia in YouTube land. Simply put, it’s time to move on. Is this it? It's highly unlikely San Antonio would retire No. [37] Despite his health concerns, McGrady was able to play in that year's All-Star Game in front of his home crowd in Houston, exploding for 36 points in just 27 minutes. Was Kobe Bryant drafted out of high school? The Beginning Both highly-touted prospects and early entrants into the NBA Draft, Iverson and McGrady took different paths to stardom – the former was an immediate star as Rookie of the Year, while the latter came directly out of high school and would take a few years to mature. Today in 2009, he’s a beaten down man at the age of 30. But Siamese twins is more like it. 1997–2000. In 2000, he left the Raptors for the Orlando Magic, where he became one of the league's most prolific scorers and a candidate for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. [2] Because his father was not a part of their everyday lives, Melanise raised McGrady with the help of her mother, Roberta, in Auburndale. ©2021 All Rights Reserved. I remember going to a Clipper game back on November 26, 2007 to see him kill them in person. Image via Complex Original. Get used to seeing him as some sort of role player; a bit overpriced one. [10] McGrady has described his rookie year as "hell", feeling lonely in Toronto and sleeping for up to 20 hours a day. [2], On October 9, 2012, McGrady signed a one-year deal with the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association. Hoopsvibe is a property of CraveOnline, LLC, an Evolve Media, LLC company. From April to July 2014, he realized his dream of playing professional baseball, pitching for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. [54] On December 15, he returned to action but was limited to only seven minutes off the bench. McGrady plays both shooting guard and small forward, and is also one of the first players who went from high school (Mt. [2] In 2010–11, he signed with the Detroit Pistons and averaged just 8 points per game, and in 2011–12, he signed with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging a career-low 5.3 points per game. He shouldn’t get much hate. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2017. He then transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy, in Durham, North Carolina. Thanks for the time you were healthy, Mac. [51] On February 24, he had microfracture surgery in Chicago, forcing him to miss the remainder of the year. Even former general manager of the Chicago Bulls Jerry Krause wanted to trade Scottie Pippen for T-Mac until Michael Jordan stepped in to stop all that mess. [55] After six games, the Rockets decided to shut him down again so that they could focus on trading him to another team. [15] McGrady's play earned him his first All-Star Game appearance and, behind averages of 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, he was selected to his first All-NBA Team, being named to the All-NBA Second Team. [15] He elected to join the Magic in part because he disliked his secondary role playing behind Vince Carter,[16] in part so that he could return home to Florida, and in part to play with their other newly acquired free agent, Grant Hill. Oh my goodness. [49], Following Houston's loss to Utah, McGrady underwent arthroscopic surgery on both his left shoulder and left knee. He is commonly referred to as "T-Mac." [93], NBA statistics per Basketball-Reference. [46][47][48] The Jazz again eliminated the Rockets, this time in six games, despite a strong 40-point and 10-rebound performance from McGrady in the decisive Game 6. In 2004, he was traded to the Houston Rockets, where he paired with center Yao Ming to help the Rockets become a perennial playoff team. [79] Tracy's younger brother, Chancellor "Chance" McGrady, played for the 2008 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament runner-up Memphis Tigers. "It's been 16 years playing the game I love. [84] He was also an initial investor in a Minor League Baseball team which would become the Biloxi Shuckers. [41] By this time, pressure had started to mount on McGrady to lead the team deep into the postseason, to which he responded, "If we don’t get out of the first round, it’s on me! His career averages were 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.

Kayak Whistle Signals, Ag-gag Laws By State, Bitcoin Vault To Usd Converter, Dungannon Vs Crusaders Forebet, Kill Switch Meaning Vpn, Oxford United New Training Ground Address, Wembley Pitch Invasion,