Tracy McGrady facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tracy McGrady

McGrady with the Houston Rockets in 2006
Personal information
Born	(1979-05-24) May 24, 1979 (age 46) Bartow, Florida, U.S.
High school	Auburndale (Auburndale, Florida) Mount Zion Christian Academy (Durham, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1997 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall
Selected by the Toronto Raptors
Pro career	1997–2013
Career history
1997–2000	Toronto Raptors
2000–2004	Orlando Magic
2004–2010	Houston Rockets
2010	New York Knicks
2010–2011	Detroit Pistons
2011–2012	Atlanta Hawks
2012–2013	Qingdao Eagles
2013	San Antonio Spurs
Career highlights and awards
7× NBA All-Star (2001–2007) 2× All-NBA First Team (2002, 2003) 3× All-NBA Second Team (2001, 2004, 2007) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2005, 2008) 2× NBA scoring champion (2003, 2004) NBA Most Improved Player (2001) CBA All-Star (2013) No. 1 retired by Qingdao Eagles Mr. Basketball USA (1997) McDonald's All-American (1997) First-team Parade All-American (1997)
Career statistics
Points	18,381 (19.6 ppg)
Rebounds	5,276 (5.6 rpg)
Assists	4,161 (4.4 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2003 San Juan Team competition

Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr. (born May 24, 1979), known as T-Mac, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is famous for his time in the National Basketball Association (NBA). McGrady was an NBA All-Star seven times and won the NBA scoring title twice. He was also named the Most Improved Player in 2001. In 2017, he was honored by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Many consider McGrady one of the best scorers and shooting guards in NBA history.

McGrady joined the NBA right after high school. The Toronto Raptors picked him ninth overall in the 1997 NBA draft. He started with limited playing time but soon became a key player. He even teamed up with his cousin, Vince Carter. In 2000, he moved to the Orlando Magic. There, he became one of the league's top scorers. In 2004, he was traded to the Houston Rockets. He played alongside Yao Ming, helping the Rockets reach the NBA Playoffs often. Injuries affected his last NBA seasons. He retired in 2013 after playing briefly in China and for the San Antonio Spurs.

After retiring from basketball, McGrady became a basketball analyst for ESPN. He also fulfilled a dream of playing professional baseball. From April to July 2014, he was a pitcher for the Sugar Land Skeeters.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979, in Bartow, Florida. His mother, Melanise Williford, and grandmother, Roberta, raised him in Auburndale. Tracy played high school basketball and baseball at Auburndale High School for three years. For his senior year, he moved to Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina.

During his last year at Auburndale, McGrady averaged 23.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4.9 blocks per game. He became well-known after a great performance at the Adidas ABCD Camp. This event helped him realize his basketball talent. He said, "Nobody had a clue who Tracy McGrady was. Sonny Vaccaro gave me that platform, and I played against the best players in the world at that time. I left that camp the No. 1 player in the nation."

With McGrady's help, Mount Zion became the second-best team in the country. He was named a McDonald's All-American and the USA Today High School Basketball Player of the Year. He also played in the 1997 Roundball Classic. In his senior year, he averaged 27.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 2.8 steals, and 2 blocks per game. McGrady thought about playing college basketball at the University of Kentucky. However, he decided to join the NBA draft instead, as he was expected to be a top pick.

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Toronto Raptors (1997–2000)

The 1997 NBA draft saw McGrady picked ninth overall by the Toronto Raptors. In his first year, the 1997–98 season, he didn't play much. He averaged only 13 minutes per game. McGrady found his rookie year tough and felt lonely in Toronto.

Later in the season, coach Darrell Walker left. New coach Butch Carter gave McGrady more playing time. This happened after McGrady promised to work harder. Before the 1998–99 season, the Raptors drafted Vince Carter, who was McGrady's cousin. The two became very close friends and teammates.

By the 1999–2000 season, McGrady and Carter were known for their amazing athleticism. They gave exciting performances at the All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest. McGrady started playing a lot more. He even became a starter for Toronto in March. On April 4, he scored a career-high 28 points for the Raptors. The Raptors finished the season with a 45–37 record. This was their first time making the NBA Playoffs. McGrady averaged 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game. In the first round of the playoffs, the Raptors lost to the New York Knicks.

Becoming a Star with the Orlando Magic (2000–2004)

First All-Star Season and Most Improved Player (2000–01)

After leaving Toronto, McGrady signed with the Orlando Magic on August 3, 2000. He signed a seven-year contract. He chose the Magic because he wanted to be a main player, not just a secondary one behind Vince Carter. He also wanted to return home to Florida and play with Grant Hill. However, Hill played very few games due to injuries. This meant McGrady had to take on a bigger role as a leader and scorer.

During the 2000–01 season, McGrady surprised many people. He became one of the best players in the NBA. He earned his first All-Star Game appearance. He averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team. He won the Most Improved Player award. The Magic made the 2001 NBA Playoffs with a 43–39 record. They played against the Milwaukee Bucks. In Game 3, McGrady scored 42 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had 8 assists. Orlando was eliminated by Milwaukee in four games.

All-NBA First Team Selection (2001–02)

For the 2001–02 season, McGrady averaged 25.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He was selected to the All-NBA First Team. During the All-Star Game, he made a famous play. He threw the ball off the backboard to himself and dunked it. On March 8, 2002, McGrady scored a season-high 50 points and had 10 rebounds against the Washington Wizards. At the end of the season, the Magic lost in the first round of the playoffs again. They lost to the Charlotte Hornets.

Winning Scoring Titles and Playoff Challenges (2002–04)

In the 2002–03 season, McGrady won his first scoring title. He averaged 32.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He finished fourth in the voting for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. In Game 1 of the playoffs, he scored a team playoff record 43 points. This helped Orlando take an early lead against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. The Magic led the series 3–1. McGrady famously said, "It feels good to get in the second round." However, the Magic were eliminated in seven games.

The 2003–04 season was difficult for McGrady and the Magic. The team struggled with injuries. Despite this, McGrady won his second straight scoring title. He scored a career-high 62 points in a game against the Washington Wizards. His final averages were 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

Joining the Houston Rockets (2004–2010)

The Famous 13 Points in 35 Seconds (2004–05)

On June 29, 2004, McGrady was traded to the Houston Rockets. He was excited to play alongside All-Star center Yao Ming. McGrady signed a new contract with the Rockets.

The Rockets started the 2004–05 season slowly. On December 9, McGrady had one of his most memorable games. He scored 13 points in the last 35 seconds against the San Antonio Spurs. This included four three-pointers in a row, leading to a comeback win. After the All-Star break, Houston improved. They finished the season with 51 wins. McGrady averaged 25.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. In the playoffs, he had another great moment. He dunked over 7'6" Shawn Bradley and hit a game-winning shot. However, the Rockets lost the series in Game 7.

McGrady playing against Caron Butler in 2006

Injuries and Playoff Challenges (2005–08)

The 2005–06 season was tough for McGrady. He played in only 47 games due to injuries, especially back spasms. Despite this, he played in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game in Houston. He scored 36 points in just 27 minutes. The Rockets did not make the playoffs that year.

In the 2006–07 season, McGrady continued to deal with back problems. He averaged 24.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. In the playoffs, the Rockets faced the Utah Jazz. McGrady felt pressure to lead his team past the first round. He said, "If we don't get out of the first round, it's on me!" Houston lost the series in seven games. After the loss, McGrady was very emotional.

In the 2007–08 season, the Rockets had a 22-game winning streak. This was one of the longest in NBA history. This happened even though Yao Ming was injured. McGrady felt confident in his teammates. Houston finished as the fifth seed and played the Utah Jazz again. McGrady was playing with shoulder and knee injuries. The Jazz eliminated the Rockets in six games. McGrady had a strong game, scoring 40 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the final game.

Season-Ending Surgery (2008–09)

After the loss to Utah, McGrady had surgery on his left shoulder and knee. He missed 18 games early in the 2008–09 season. On February 24, he had another surgery on his knee, which ended his season. His averages dropped to 15.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Surprisingly, the Rockets made the playoffs without McGrady. They even reached the second round, pushing the Los Angeles Lakers to seven games.

Final Season in Houston (2009–10)

McGrady was still recovering from surgery at the start of the 2009–10 season. He returned on December 15 but played limited minutes. After six games, the Rockets decided to trade him.

Later NBA Teams (2010–2013)

New York Knicks (2010)

McGrady playing for the Knicks in 2010

On February 18, 2010, McGrady was traded to the New York Knicks. He made his debut two days later, scoring 26 points. He played 24 games for the Knicks, averaging 9.4 points per game.

Detroit Pistons (2010–2011)

McGrady became a free agent for the first time in ten years. He signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Pistons. On January 14, 2011, he scored a season-high 22 points. He averaged 8 points per game for the 2010–11 season.

Atlanta Hawks (2011–2012)

After the 2011 NBA lockout, McGrady signed with the Atlanta Hawks. In the shorter season, he played 52 games. For the first time in his career, he did not start any games. On January 2, 2012, he had a great performance against the undefeated Miami Heat. He scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to help Atlanta win. He averaged a career-low 5.3 points per game.

Qingdao Eagles (2012–2013)

On October 9, 2012, McGrady signed a one-year deal with the Qingdao Eagles in China. Qingdao finished last in the league. McGrady averaged 25 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

San Antonio Spurs and Retirement (2013)

After his season in China, McGrady signed with the San Antonio Spurs on April 16, 2013. This allowed him to join their playoff roster. The Spurs reached the 2013 NBA Finals, but lost to the Miami Heat. This gave McGrady his first chance to play past the first round of the playoffs. On August 26, 2013, McGrady announced his retirement from the NBA on ESPN's First Take.

National Team Career

McGrady played for the United States national team in the FIBA Americas Championship 2003 in Puerto Rico. On August 22, he led the Americans with 16 points in a win over Venezuela. The U.S. team qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games. They won the gold medal game, finishing with a perfect 10–0 record. McGrady averaged 12.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in the tournament.

Professional Baseball Career

On February 4, 2014, McGrady announced he was pursuing his dream of becoming a professional baseball player. He worked with Roger Clemens to become a pitcher for the Sugar Land Skeeters. On April 23, McGrady made the team's roster. In his first game, he pitched a short time and took the loss. In July, he started the Atlantic League All-Star Game and got his first strikeout. After the game, McGrady announced his retirement from baseball.

Player Profile and Legacy

McGrady shooting over DeShawn Stevenson in 2008

Tracy McGrady was 6 feet 8 inches tall and played as a shooting guard and small forward. His career averages were 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He earned seven All-NBA honors and was an All-Star seven times. He won two NBA scoring titles and the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2001. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

McGrady was known for his calm style and amazing scoring ability. Many players, like Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant, said he was one of the hardest players to guard. His playing style was compared to George Gervin's because both made scoring look easy. At his best, McGrady was an explosive player who could drive to the basket and finish strong. He was also a great shooter from long range. Some experts believe his skills would make him even more effective in today's basketball game.

During his All-Star years, McGrady was often criticized for not leading his teams past the first round of the playoffs. However, some analysts defended him, saying he had bad luck with teammates and team situations. Former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said McGrady was a poor practice player but praised his willingness to learn and perform well in big games.

McGrady is often ranked among the greatest basketball players of all time. The Book of Basketball ranked him 77th, ESPN ranked him 63rd, and SLAM Magazine ranked him 97th. In 2016, Sports Illustrated named him one of the 20 best players since 1996. In 2021, The Athletic ranked him as the 55th greatest player in NBA history.

Personal Life and Interests

Tracy McGrady has three children with his wife, CleRenda Harris. His younger brother, Chancellor "Chance" McGrady, played college basketball for the Memphis Tigers.

McGrady is also the second cousin of basketball player Vince Carter. They were teammates on the Raptors from 1998 to 2000. They didn't know they were related until a family reunion in 1997. After McGrady left the Raptors, they had a brief disagreement, but it was resolved.

In 2002, McGrady signed a long-term deal with Adidas. Adidas created a special line of shoes for him that were very popular in the early 2000s. After retiring, McGrady focused on business. He invested in a technology company and a bottled water company. He also became an initial investor in a Minor League Baseball team. Since 2016, he has worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN.

In 2007, McGrady visited refugee camps in Chad to learn about the situation in Darfur. He encouraged NBA players to support a program linking schools in Darfurian refugee camps to American schools. In 2008, McGrady was criticized for comments about the 2008 NBA All-Star Game being held in New Orleans. He questioned the safety of players after Hurricane Katrina.

In August 2021, McGrady launched an app called SOLEcial. This app helps people buy autographed shoes, trading cards, and other items directly from sellers. In December 2024, McGrady, Vince Carter, and others bought a small share in the National Football League's Buffalo Bills.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season Stats

NBA Playoff Stats

CBA Regular Season Stats

Awards and Honors

• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: inducted on September 8, 2017
• 2× NBA scoring champion: 2003, 2004
• 7× NBA All-Star: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
• 7× All-NBA:

• First Team: 2002, 2003
• Second Team: 2001, 2004, 2007
• Third Team: 2005, 2008

• NBA Most Improved Player Award: 2001
• Tournament of the Americas Gold Medalist: 2003
• CBA All-Star: 2013
• No. 1 retired by Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles: 2015
• Mr. Basketball USA: 1997
• McDonald's All-American: 1997

Orlando Magic Team Records

• Most points in a game: 62 (March 10, 2004 vs. Washington Wizards)
• Most field goal attempts in a season: 1813 (2002–03)
• Most free throws made in a season: 576 (2002–03)
• Most points in a season: 2407 (2002–03)
• Highest minutes per game in a season: 40.1 (2002–03)
• Highest points per game in a season: 32.1 (2002–03)
• Highest minutes per game in a career: 39.4
• Highest points per game in a career: 28.1

Images for kids

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  McGrady with the Houston Rockets in 2006

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  McGrady playing against Caron Butler in 2006

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  McGrady playing for the Knicks in 2010

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  McGrady shooting over DeShawn Stevenson in 2008

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  McGrady at Al Udeid Air Base in 2021

See also

In Spanish: Tracy McGrady para niños