Tracy Mcgrady

Kevin Vaughn

Born

• Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr., (born May 24, 1979, in Bartow, Florida)

High School

• Entering the league after graduating from high school, McGrady eventually became a seven-time All-Star. He led the league in scoring in 2003 and 2004. He spent the first seven years of his career with the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic before being traded to the Houston Rockets in 2004. McGrady was ranked #75 on SLAM Magazine's Top 75 Players of All-Time in 2003. McGrady's style of play has been compared to that of George Gervin.[2]

Toronto Raptors 97- 2000

• McGrady was drafted ninth overall in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. Chicago Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause had arranged a draft-day trade to send Scottie Pippen to the Vancouver Grizzlies for the fourth overall selection, which he would have used to draft McGrady. Krause was forced to call off the deal when Michael Jordan threatened to retire if it was made .[citation needed]

• In McGrady's first two seasons with the Raptors, he averaged less than 10 points per game, mainly coming off the bench. In his second season, he began playing alongside his third cousin, Vince Carter, who would go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award that season. The 1999–2000 season was McGrady's first breakout season in the NBA. He was a starter in 34 games out of 79, averaging 15.4 points per game, and a career-high 1.9 blocks per game. McGrady also competed in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, finishing third, behind Carter and Steve Francis.

• In 2000, the duo of McGrady and Carter helped lead the Raptors to the playoffs, for the first time in franchise history. However, the team was swept 3–0 by the New York Knicks in the first round. McGrady was often overshadowed by Carter during his time in Toronto, and he became a free agent in the summer of 2000. In the off-season, he expressed interest in playing for family and friends in his home state of Flo

Orlando Magics

• On August 3, 2000, McGrady was dealt to the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade deal. In Orlando, he played alongside Grant Hill, who had been acquired that summer in hope of bringing Orlando back among the Eastern Conference's elite teams. However, ankle injury limited Hill to only 4 games and McGrady became the leader and 1st scoring option of the team. For the first time in his career McGrady was selected as an All-Star when he was voted by the fans to start in the midseason classic for the Eastern Conference. At season's end he was presented with the 2001 NBA Most Improved Player Award. Even though McGrady had elevated his game from solid contributor to star, the Magic were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks.

• The following season, McGrady continued his great play. With Hill struggling with injuries, the Magic was a one-man show. He made his second All-Star team and First Team All-NBA while averaging 26 points per game. The Magic posted a 44–38 record for the year but they were beat again in the first round of the playoffs, this time by the Charlotte Hornets.

• In the 2002–03 season, McGrady averaged 32.1 points per game and captured the NBA scoring title, becoming the youngest player to do so since the ABA-NBA merger. Despite McGrady's personal accolades, the Magic failed to reach the second round of the playoffs. In a rather infamous moment, during the 2003 NBA Playoffs, the Magic (who were an #8 seed) surprisingly took a 3–1 series lead against the heavily favored #1 seed Detroit Pistons. Prior to the fifth game in Detroit, McGrady was quoted as saying that how wonderful it was to "finally be in the position to advance to the second round (of the playoffs)". Orlando, however, lost Games 5, 6, and 7 by an average of more than 20 points, and Detroit advanced to the second round.

• In the 2003–04 season, he once again captured the NBA scoring title, averaging 28 points per game, and set a career high with 62 points against the Washington Wizards on March 10, 2004. With this performance, he became the fourth player in the past 12 years to score over 60 points in a game.

Houston Rockets

• On June 29, 2004, McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, and Reece Gaines were traded to the Houston Rockets in a seven-player deal that sent Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato to the Magic. In his first year with the Houston Rockets, McGrady teamed with 7'6" center Yao Ming, to end the season ranked 5th in the Western Conference. On December 9, 2004, he scored 13 points in the last 35 seconds of a game against the San Antonio Spurs, with four consecutive 3 pointers (one of which was part of a four-point play), including a steal and the game-winning 3 pointer with 1.7 seconds left in the game that helped the Rockets win 81–80.[3][4]

• The Rockets first season with McGrady started off slowly as they struggled to find a compatible point guard to play with McGrady's skill set in the backcourt. The solution was found when they named Bob Sura, who was returning from an injury, played well enough to earn the starting PG job. The Rockets traded Tyronn Lue for Jon Barry for 3-point shooting off the bench. The Rockets also acquired David Wesley from the Hornets to bolster their backcourt defense, particularly on smaller guards. With these new trades, McGrady was moved to SF, with a starting lineup of Bob Sura, David Wesley, Juwan Howard, and Yao Ming. The Rockets then ran the offense through McGrady, utilized the inside game of Yao, and used the perimeter game of Howard's baseline jumper and 3-point shooting effectively. The Rockets finished the 2004-2005 season 51-31 as the 5th seed in the playoffs.

• Despite McGrady's stellar play in the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs where he averaged 30.7 ppg, 6.7 asg, and 7.4 rpg, Houston was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in game seven by 40 points, despite having a 2-0 lead. McGrady missed 6 of his first 7 shots in Game 7 and the Rockets were never able to match the intensity of the Dallas Mavericks. McGrady's signature moment in the Dallas playoffs series was in Game 2, where he blew past Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzski and dunked the ball over Dallas center Shawn Bradley (7 feet, 6 inches).

• In the early 2005–06 season, McGrady missed eight games because of multiple back spasms. His back problems resurfaced on January 8, 2006 when he had to be taken out at halftime in a game against the Denver Nuggets on a stretcher to the hospital because of severe back spasms. He had been out for five games. Since his return, the spasms have still been a problem for McGrady. In the 2005–06 season the Rockets were 2–15 in games he did not play in and 2–16 in games McGrady did not finish. While McGrady was injured for five games with his back injury, the Rockets did not win a single game. Other injuries include him falling on his back in a game against the Indiana Pacers.

•

Miscellaneous

• McGrady has four children—daughters Layla Clarice, Laycee Aloe, and sons Laymen Lamar, Layden—with his wife CleRenda Harris, whom he had dated for 10 years. Their first son was born on December 27, 2005 during a 82–74 loss against the Utah Jazz in which McGrady left during halftime to see his girlfriend going into labor.[13] The couple were married on September 12, 2006 in Mexico. McGrady and Vince Carter are third cousins; McGrady learned that his grandmother and Carter's grandmother were cousins at a family reunion while he was still in high school and Carter played at the University of North Carolina.[14] The two played together with the Toronto Raptors for two years before McGrady left for free agency. After McGrady left, he and Carter had a short feud- but this was resolved in a short period of time.[15]

• Tracy's younger brother, Chancelor "Chance" McGrady, played for the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Runner-Up Memphis Tigers basketball team, but saw limited playing time throughout his collegiate career.

• In 2002, McGrady signed a lifetime partnership with Adidas, agreeing to an endorsement deal that will last through his playing career and beyond.[16] He also appeared on the cover of NBA Live 07.

• In 2008, McGrady was criticized for his comments on the All-Star game being held in New Orleans, only 3 years removed from the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. McGrady publicly questioned the quality of public safety and protection of NBA players. His critics pointed out that McGrady makes annual trips to Asia during the NBA offseason for his promotional campaigns with Addidas. Adding fuel to the fire, McGrady was not voted into the all-star game in 2008.

• McGrady has traveled to the Darfurian refugee camps in Chad with John Prendergast and Omer Ismail of the ENOUGH Project. McGrady is actively recruiting NBA players to support a sister schools initiative linking schools in Darfurian refugee camps to American middle schools, high schools and universities.

• Over his 12 year NBA career, McGrady has made over $137,000,000 in salary.[17]• McGrady also recently changed his jersey number to #3. He is making the switch to promote his humanitarian

efforts in the Darfur region of the Sudan and a documentary on his summer 2007 visits to refugee camps in the region. The documentary, "3 Points," is set for release this fall. The title refers to goals of peace, protection and punishment.[18]

NBA Career Stats

• Legend  GPGames 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

Regular Season

• Year   Team   GP   GS   MPG   FG%   3P%   FT%   RPG   APG   SPG   BPG   PPG   1997–98Toronto641718.4.450.341.7124.21.5.8.97.01998–99Toronto49222.6.436.229.7265.72.31.11.49.31999–00Toronto793431.2.451.277.7076.33.31.11.915.42000–01Orlando777740.1.457.355.7337.54.61.51.526.82001–02Orlando767638.3.451.364.7487.95.31.61.025.62002–03Orlando757439.4.457.386.7936.55.51.6.832.12003–04Orlando676739.9.417.339.7966.05.51.4.628.02004–05Houston787840.8.431.326.7746.25.71.7.725.72005–06Houston474737.1.406.312.7476.54.81.3.924.42006–07Houston717135.8.431.331.7075.36.51.3.524.62007–08Houston666237.0.419.292.6845.15.91.0.421.62008–09Houston353533.7.388.376.8014.45.01.2.415.6Career78464035.0.436.338.7496.14.71.3.922.1All-Star7624.6.500.351.6193.03.91.6.417.1

Playoffs

• Year   Team   GP   GS   MPG   FG%   3P%   FT%   RPG   APG   SPG   BPG   PPG   1999–00Toronto3337.0.386.286.8757.03.01.01.016.72000–01Orlando4444.5.415.200.8166.58.31.81.233.82001–02Orlando4444.5.462.313.7396.35.5.51.830.82002–03Orlando7744.0.448.340.7736.74.72.0.931.72004–05Houston7743.0.456.370.8247.46.71.61.430.72006–07Houston7740.0.394.250.7375.97.3.7.925.32007–08Houston6641.2.425.208.6238.26.81.5.827.0Career383842.2.430.301.7566.96.21.31.128.5

NBA Career Achievement

• 2-time NBA scoring leader: 2003 (32.1), 2004 (28.0)

• 7-time NBA All-Star: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

• 7-time All-NBA: − First Team: 2002, 2003 − Second Team: 2001, 2004, 2007 − Third Team: 2005, 2008

• NBA Most Improved Player Award: 2001

Orlando Franchise Record

• All-Time Free Throws Made (1,819) • Most points in one game with 62 (March 10, 2004 vs.

Washington Wizards) • Most points in one half with 37 in the first half (March 9,

2003 vs. Denver Nuggets) • Most points in one quarter with 25 in the second quarter

(March 9, 2003 vs. Denver Nuggets) • Most free throws made in one game with 18 (December

25, 2002 vs. Detroit Pistons) • Most points in a playoff game with 45 (in Game 2 of the

2003 Eastern Conference playoffs, First Round vs. Detroit Pistons)

• Most three-point field goals made in one half with 8 (January 26, 2004 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers)

Career Achievements

• Career achievements• Career 40+ point games (regular season): 45 • Career 50+ point games (regular season): 4 • Career 60+ point games (regular season): 1 • Career triple-doubles (regular season): 4 • Shares NBA record for most three-point field

goals made in one half with 8 (January 26, 2004 Orlando vs. Cleveland

Content

• Contents• NBA career

− Miscellaneous

• NBA career statistics • NBA career achievements • See also

• References • External links