Tracy McGrady facts for kids
McGrady with the Houston Rockets in 2006
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | May 24, 1979 Bartow, Florida, U.S. |
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| High school |
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| 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 | ||||||||||||||
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| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Points | 18,381 (19.6 ppg) | |||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 5,276 (5.6 rpg) | |||||||||||||
| Assists | 4,161 (4.4 apg) | |||||||||||||
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Medals
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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 a seven-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2001. He was also the NBA scoring champion twice. In 2017, he was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Many people 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.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
Tracy McGrady was born on May 24, 1979, in Bartow, Florida. His mother, Melanise Williford, raised him with help from his grandmother. He grew up in Auburndale. As a young person, McGrady played both high school basketball and baseball. He played for three years at Auburndale High School. For his senior year, he moved to Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina. In his final year at Auburndale, he averaged 23.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.
McGrady was not very well known when he left Florida. But he became famous after a great performance at the Adidas ABCD Camp. This experience helped him see his true talent. He said, "Nobody had a clue who Tracy McGrady was." After the camp, he was ranked the number one player in the nation. With his leadership, Mount Zion became the second-best team in the country. McGrady was named a McDonald's All-American. He also played in the 1997 Roundball Classic. He averaged 27.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in his senior year. McGrady thought about playing college basketball at the University of Kentucky. However, he decided to enter the NBA draft instead.
NBA Career Highlights
Playing for the Toronto Raptors (1997–2000)
The Toronto Raptors picked McGrady ninth in the 1997 NBA draft. In his first year, he did not play much. He averaged only 13 minutes per game. McGrady said his rookie year was "hell" because he felt lonely. Later, his playing time increased.
Before the 1998–99 NBA season, the Raptors drafted Vince Carter. Carter was McGrady's second cousin. They became very close friends and teammates. By the 1999–2000 NBA season, they were known for their amazing athletic skills. They gave exciting performances at the NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest. McGrady started playing more important minutes. He became a starter for Toronto in March. The Raptors made the playoffs for the first time in their history. McGrady averaged 15.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, the Raptors lost to the New York Knicks.
Becoming a Star with the Orlando Magic (2000–2004)
After leaving Toronto, McGrady signed with the Orlando Magic in 2000. He signed a seven-year contract. He wanted to return to Florida and play with Grant Hill. However, Hill was often injured. This meant McGrady had to take on a bigger role.
In the 2000–01 NBA 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 the league's Most Improved Player. The Magic made the playoffs but lost in the first round.
For the 2001–02 NBA season, McGrady averaged 25.6 points and 7.9 rebounds. He made the All-NBA First Team. During that year's All-Star Game, he had a famous play. He threw the ball off the backboard to himself and scored an alley-oop. The Magic again lost in the first round of the playoffs. On March 8, 2002, McGrady scored 50 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
In 2002–03, McGrady won his first scoring title. He averaged 32.1 points 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. The Magic took a 3–1 lead in the series. McGrady famously said, "It feels good to get in the second round." But the Magic lost the next three games and were eliminated.
The 2003–04 season was tough for McGrady and the Magic. The team struggled with injuries. McGrady won his second straight scoring title. He scored a career-high 62 points in a game against the Washington Wizards. He averaged 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
Teaming Up with the Houston Rockets (2004–2010)
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 NBA season slowly. On December 9, McGrady had one of his most famous games. He scored 13 points in the last 35 seconds against the San Antonio Spurs. This included four three-pointers in a row. One of them was a game-winner with two seconds left. After the All-Star break, Houston played much better. They finished with 51 wins. McGrady averaged 25.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. In the playoffs, he had another great moment. He dunked over 7'6" center Shawn Bradley. The Rockets lost in a tough Game 7.
The 2005–06 season was difficult for McGrady. He played in only 47 games due to injuries. He missed time because of 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 again missed games due to back problems. Yao Ming was playing very well. McGrady became the team's second scoring option for a while. He averaged 24.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. In the playoffs, the Rockets faced the Utah Jazz. McGrady felt a lot of pressure to lead the 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.
In 2007–08, the Rockets had an amazing 22-game winning streak. This was the second-longest in NBA history at the time. They did this even without Yao Ming for part of the streak. McGrady felt confident in his teammates. Houston finished as the fifth seed. They again faced the Utah Jazz in the first round. McGrady was dealing with shoulder and knee injuries. He sometimes needed pain shots to play. The Jazz again eliminated the Rockets.
After the loss to Utah, McGrady had surgery on his shoulder and knee. In the 2008–09 season, he missed many games. On February 24, he had another surgery on his knee. This ended his season. Surprisingly, the Rockets made the playoffs without him. They even reached the second round.
McGrady was still recovering at the start of the 2009–10 NBA season. He played only six games before the Rockets decided to trade him.
Later NBA Teams (2010–2013)
On February 18, 2010, McGrady was traded to the New York Knicks. He scored 26 points in his first game with the team. He played 24 games for the Knicks.
As a free agent, McGrady 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 season.
After a lockout, McGrady signed with the Atlanta Hawks. In the shorter 2011–12 NBA season, he played 52 games. For the first time, he did not start any games. On January 2, 2012, he had a great performance. He scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to help Atlanta beat the undefeated "Big Three" Miami Heat. He averaged a career-low 5.3 points per game.
Playing in China and Final NBA Stint (2012–2013)
On October 9, 2012, McGrady signed with the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles in China. Qingdao finished last in the league. McGrady averaged 25 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game.
After the Chinese season, 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. They lost to the Miami Heat in seven games. This was McGrady's first time playing past the first round of the NBA playoffs.
On August 26, McGrady officially announced his retirement from the NBA.
National Team Career
McGrady played for the United States men's national basketball team. He competed in the FIBA Americas Championship 2003 in Puerto Rico. On August 22, he led the Americans with 16 points against Venezuela. The U.S. team won all their games. They qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games. 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 trying to become a professional baseball player. He worked with Roger Clemens to become a pitcher. He joined the Sugar Land Skeeters team. On April 23, he 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. He recorded his first strikeout. After that game, McGrady announced his retirement from baseball.
Player Profile and Legacy
Tracy McGrady was 6 feet 8 inches tall. He 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 seven All-Star selections. He won two NBA scoring titles and the NBA Most Improved Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
McGrady was known for his calm style and amazing scoring. He once scored 41 points in a game after sleeping until tip-off. This earned him the nickname "The Big Sleep." Other great 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. Both made scoring look easy and smooth. At his best, McGrady was an explosive player. He could drive to the basket and score over defenders. He was also a threat from far away, often shooting three-pointers. Some experts say his skills would be even better in today's basketball game.
During his All-Star years, some people criticized McGrady. They noted that his teams never made it past the first round of the playoffs. However, some analysts defended him. They felt he had bad luck with team rosters. His effort and leadership were sometimes questioned. Former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said McGrady was not a great practice player. But he praised McGrady's willingness to learn and perform well in big games.
McGrady is often ranked among the greatest basketball players ever. The Book of Basketball ranked him 77th. ESPN ranked him 63rd. 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 the 55th greatest player in NBA history.
Personal Life and Interests
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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. They did not know they were related until a family reunion in 1997.
In 2002, McGrady signed a long-term deal with Adidas. Adidas made a special line of shoes for him. After retiring, McGrady focused on business. He invested in a technology company and a bottled water company. He also invested 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. He worked to help people in the Darfur region. He encouraged NBA players to support schools in the refugee camps. In 2010, he changed his jersey number to No. 3. This was to promote his humanitarian work and a documentary about his visit.
In August 2021, McGrady launched an app called SOLEcial. It helps people buy autographed shoes and other sports items. In December 2024, McGrady, Vince Carter, and others bought a part of the National Football League's Buffalo Bills team.
Career statistics
NBA statistics per Basketball-Reference. CBA statistics per CBA Data Center.
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | Toronto | 64 | 17 | 18.4 | .450 | .341 | .712 | 4.2 | 1.5 | .8 | 1.0 | 7.0 |
| 1998–99 | Toronto | 49 | 2 | 22.6 | .436 | .229 | .726 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 9.3 |
| 1999–00 | Toronto | 79 | 34 | 31.2 | .451 | .277 | .707 | 6.3 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 15.4 |
| 2000–01 | Orlando | 77 | 77 | 40.1 | .457 | .355 | .733 | 7.5 | 4.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 26.8 |
| 2001–02 | Orlando | 76 | 76 | 38.3 | .451 | .364 | .748 | 7.9 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 25.6 |
| 2002–03 | Orlando | 75 | 74 | 39.4 | .457 | .386 | .793 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 1.7 | .8 | 32.1* |
| 2003–04 | Orlando | 67 | 67 | 39.9 | .417 | .339 | .796 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 1.4 | .6 | 28.0* |
| 2004–05 | Houston | 78 | 78 | 40.8 | .431 | .326 | .774 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 1.7 | .7 | 25.7 |
| 2005–06 | Houston | 47 | 47 | 37.1 | .406 | .312 | .747 | 6.5 | 4.8 | 1.3 | .9 | 24.4 |
| 2006–07 | Houston | 71 | 71 | 35.8 | .431 | .331 | .707 | 5.3 | 6.5 | 1.3 | .5 | 24.6 |
| 2007–08 | Houston | 66 | 62 | 37.0 | .419 | .292 | .684 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 1.0 | .5 | 21.6 |
| 2008–09 | Houston | 35 | 35 | 33.7 | .388 | .376 | .801 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 1.2 | .4 | 15.6 |
| 2009–10 | Houston | 6 | 0 | 7.7 | .368 | .500 | .667 | .8 | 1.0 | .0 | .3 | 3.2 |
| New York | 24 | 24 | 26.1 | .389 | .242 | .754 | 3.7 | 3.9 | .6 | .5 | 9.4 | |
| 2010–11 | Detroit | 72 | 39 | 23.4 | .442 | .341 | .698 | 3.5 | 3.5 | .9 | .5 | 8.0 |
| 2011–12 | Atlanta | 52 | 0 | 16.1 | .437 | .455 | .675 | 3.0 | 2.1 | .3 | .3 | 5.3 |
| Career | 938 | 703 | 32.7 | .435 | .338 | .746 | 5.6 | 4.4 | 1.2 | .9 | 19.6 | |
| All-Star | 7 | 6 | 24.6 | .500 | .351 | .619 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 1.6 | .4 | 17.1 | |
NBA playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Toronto | 3 | 3 | 37.0 | .386 | .286 | .875 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 16.7 |
| 2001 | Orlando | 4 | 4 | 44.5 | .415 | .200 | .816 | 6.5 | 8.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 33.8 |
| 2002 | Orlando | 4 | 4 | 44.5 | .462 | .313 | .739 | 6.3 | 5.5 | .5 | 1.8 | 30.8 |
| 2003 | Orlando | 7 | 7 | 44.0 | .448 | .340 | .773 | 6.7 | 4.7 | 2.0 | .9 | 31.7 |
| 2005 | Houston | 7 | 7 | 43.0 | .456 | .370 | .824 | 7.4 | 6.7 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 30.7 |
| 2007 | Houston | 7 | 7 | 40.0 | .394 | .250 | .737 | 5.9 | 7.3 | .7 | .9 | 25.3 |
| 2008 | Houston | 6 | 6 | 41.2 | .425 | .208 | .623 | 8.2 | 6.8 | 1.5 | .8 | 27.0 |
| 2012 | Atlanta | 6 | 0 | 15.0 | .385 | .000 | .833 | 2.8 | 1.0 | .0 | .3 | 4.2 |
| 2013 | San Antonio | 6 | 0 | 5.2 | .000 | .000 | — | 1.3 | 1.2 | .3 | .5 | .0 |
| Career | 50 | 38 | 34.5 | .426 | .290 | .757 | 5.7 | 5.0 | 1.1 | .9 | 22.2 | |
CBA regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | Qingdao | 29 | 26 | 31.8 | .496 | .333 | .733 | 7.2 | 5.1 | 1.6 | .6 | 25.0 |
Awards and Honors
Per McGrady's Basketball-Reference page unless noted otherwise.
- 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:
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- 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 Franchise Records
- Most points in a game with 62 (March 10, 2004 vs. Washington Wizards)
- Most field goal attempts in a season with 1813 (2002–03)
- Most free throws made in a season with 576 (2002–03)
- Most points in a season with 2407 (2002–03)
- Highest minutes per game in a season with 40.1 (2002–03)
- Highest points per game in a season with 32.1 (2002–03)
- Highest minutes per game in a career with 39.4
- Highest points per game in a career with 28.1
See also
In Spanish: Tracy McGrady para niños
- List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season
- List of National Basketball Association players with 60 or more points in a game
