Tracy McGrady
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225951646
2008-07-16T04:31:55Z
Runawaywithmeee
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{{Infobox NBA Player
| name = Tracy McGrady
| image = TracyMcGrady.jpg
| league = [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 8
| weight_lb = 223
| nickname = T-Mac
| position = [[Shooting guard]] / [[Small Forward]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|5|24}}
| birth_place = [[Bartow, Florida|Bartow]], [[Florida]]
| team = [[Houston Rockets]]
| number = 1
| highschool = [[Mt. Zion Christian Academy|Mount Zion Christian Academy]]
| nationality = [[United States|American]]
| draft = 9th overall
| draft_team = [[Toronto Raptors]]
| draft_year = 1997
| career_start = 1997
| career_end =
| former_teams = [[Toronto Raptors]] 1997–2000<br/>[[Orlando Magic]] 2000–2004
| awards = 7-time [[National Basketball Association All-Star Game|All-Star]]<br/>7-time All-[[NBA]] Selection<br/>2000–01 [[NBA Most Improved Player Award|NBA Most Improved Player]]<br>2-time [[List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season|NBA Scoring Champion]]
}}
'''Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr''' (born [[May 24]] [[1979]], in [[Bartow, Florida]]) is an [[United States|American]] professional [[basketball]] player, currently positioned at [[starting lineup|starting]] [[shooting guard]] for the [[Houston Rockets]] in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA), but he can also play [[small forward]]. He is commonly referred to as "T-Mac."
Entering the league after graduating from [[high school]], McGrady eventually became a seven-time [[NBA All-Star Game|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|''SLAM'' magazine]]'s Top 75 NBA Players of All Time in 2003. McGrady has never advanced to the second round of the [[NBA playoffs|playoffs]] in his whole career despite his seven trips to the playoffs: one with the Toronto Raptors, three with the Orlando Magic and three with the Houston Rockets. In the NBA Playoffs for 2008, when the Rockets once again could not advance past the first round, McGrady humorously poked fun at all his critics by taking the blame for everything, "...it's my fault...It's my fault a couple people in the stands ordered Heinekens and they got Budweiser. It's my fault. I'm sorry."<ref>{{cite news |url =http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5725794.html|title = With winks and nod, T-mac takes blame}}</ref> McGrady's style of play has been compared to that of [[George Gervin]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nba.com/allstar2003/then_now_gervin_mcgrady.html |title=That Was Then ... This Is Now: Iceman and T-Mac |date=2003-01-27 |publisher=NBA.com |accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref>
Tracy McGrady played [[high school basketball]] at Auburndale Senior High School in Auburndale, Florida for three years. He then transferred to [[Mt. Zion Christian Academy|Mount Zion Christian Academy]], in [[Durham, North Carolina]]. He would have attended the [[University of Kentucky]] had he not entered the NBA right after high school. McGrady created a national buzz after his performance in the [[Adidas]] ABCD Camp, where the best high school players in the [[United States|U.S.]] are invited annually. He was named High School Player of the Year by ''[[USA Today]]''.
==NBA career==
===Toronto Raptors (1997-2000)===
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 [[Memphis Grizzlies|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.
In McGrady's first two seasons with the Raptors, he averaged less than 10 [[points per game]], mainly coming off the bench. In [[1998-99 NBA season|his second season]], he began playing alongside his [[third cousin]], [[Vince Carter]], who would go on to win the [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year Award]] that season. The [[1999-2000 NBA season|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 [[block (basketball)|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 [[2000 NBA Playoffs|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 [[Florida]].
===Orlando Magic (2000-2004)===
On [[August 3]], [[2000]], McGrady was dealt to the [[Orlando Magic]] in a sign-and-trade deal. In Orlando, he played alongside [[Grant Hill (basketball)|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 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]].
In the [[2002-03 NBA season|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 NBA/[[American Basketball Association|ABA]] 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 [[The Palace of Auburn Hills|Detroit]], McGrady was quoted as saying that how wonderful it was to "finally be in 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 NBA season|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 (2004-present)===
[[Image:TracyMcGradyfreethrow.jpg|thumb|right|In 2004, McGrady joined the [[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 (basketball)|center]] [[Yao Ming]], to end the season ranked 5th in the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]. On December 9, 2004, he scored 13 points in the last 33 seconds of a game against the [[San Antonio Spurs]], with four consecutive [[three-point field goal|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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20041209/SASHOU/recap.html |title=McGrady’s Big Finish Sends Rockets Past Spurs |date=2004-12-09 |publisher=NBA.com |accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref><ref>{{youtube|id=ceLlz7dOOvY|title=Tracy McGrady: 13 points in 33 seconds}}</ref>
Despite McGrady's play in the first round of the [[2005 NBA Playoffs]], Houston was eliminated by the [[Dallas Mavericks]] in game seven by 40 points.
In the early [[2005-06 NBA season|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 tailbone in a game against the Indiana Pacers.
[[Image:Tracy McGrady.jpg|thumb|right|McGrady]]
In the [[2006-07 NBA season|2006-07 season]], McGrady started out slowly, and after missing 7 games with back spasms he visited a doctor. In an interview with TNT, McGrady said that he thought that his body was slowing down. He believed that he could no longer be as explosive as he was in the past due to his back injury. Shortly after another bout with back spasms, McGrady went to Waco, Texas where Dr. John Patterson performed "Synergy Release Therapy" to cure his chronic back problems, particularly the back spasms.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/4432126.html|title=Back treatment has McGrady feeling good|date=2006-12-29 |publisher=Chron.com |accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref> Since Yao Ming was having another breakout season, he was deferring to Yao as the number one option.<ref>{{youtube|id=vxinnGwy5oc|title=(TNT) McGrady discusses 2007 All-Star Game Selection}}</ref> However, since Yao went down with a leg injury, McGrady stepped up his overall play, re-establishing himself as one of the game's premier players and by doing so has led Houston to the 5th best record in the league. On [[December 29]], [[2006]], he became the third youngest player in NBA history to reach 14,000 points and 4,000 rebounds.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/playerfile/tracy_mcgrady/bio.html Tracy McGrady Info Page - Bio], NBA.com, accessed [[2008-01-28]].</ref> However, in the playoffs, the Rockets lost their first round series to the [[Utah Jazz]] 4-3, again preventing McGrady from advancing to the second round of the playoffs. A tear fell down his cheek during the press-conference after losing game seven 103–99 to the [[Utah Jazz]] in the [[2007 NBA Playoffs|2007 Playoffs]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270505010|title=Jazz deliver Rockets first franchise Game 7 loss at home|date=2007-05-05 |publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref> Prior to the series with the Jazz, McGrady had stated in an interview with [[Stephen A. Smith]] that if he and the Rockets failed to make it out of the first round again, it was "on me".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/05/01/tracy-mcgrady-takes-responsibility|title=Tracy McGrady Takes Responsibility|date=2007-05-01 |publisher=sports.aol.com |accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref> McGrady is currently under a contract which will end following the 2009–10 NBA season, and the contract is worth an estimated [[United States dollar|$]]21.1 million per year.<ref>[http://hoopshype.com/salaries/houston.htm HoopsHype - NBA Salaries - Houston Rockets], HoopsHype.com, accessed [[2008-01-28]].</ref>
In the 2008 NBA Playoffs, Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets lost to the Utah Jazz in 6 games.
==Personal life==
McGrady has three children - daughters Layla Clarice, Laycee Aloe and son Laymen Lamar- with his wife CleRenda Harris whom he had dated for 10 years. Their 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. The couple were married on [[September 12]], [[2006]] in Canada.
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 at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011949|title=Raptors' Skywalker Cousins|date=1999-04-26 |publisher=TheCanadianEncyclopedia.com |accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref> The two played together with the [[Toronto Raptors]] for two years before McGrady was traded. After McGrady left, he and Carter had a short feud, but this was resolved in a short period of time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/stein/1034855.html|title=Vince, Tracy no longer a family feud|date=2001-01-23 |publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref>
Tracy has a younger brother Chance McGrady who was a part of the National Finalist Memphis Tigers basketball team but seen limited playing time.
In [[2002]], McGrady signed a lifetime partnership with [[Adidas]], agreeing to an endorsement deal that will last through his playing career and beyond.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2002-05-28-endorsements.htm|title=NBA marketers look for next Mike|date=2002-05-27 |publisher=USAToday.com |accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref>
He was on the cover of [[NBA Live 07]].
== NBA career statistics ==
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
==== Regular season ====
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[1997–98 NBA season|1997–98]]
| align="left" | [[Toronto Raptors|Toronto]]
| 64 || 17 || 18.4 || .450 || .341 || .712 || 4.2 || 1.5 || .8 || .9 || 7.0
|-
| align="left" | [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99]]
| align="left" | [[Toronto Raptors|Toronto]]
| 49 || 2 || 22.6 || .436 || .229 || .726 || 5.7 || 2.3 || 1.1 || 1.4 || 9.3
|-
| align="left" | [[1999–00 NBA season|1999–00]]
| align="left" | [[Toronto Raptors|Toronto]]
| '''79''' || 34 || 31.2 || .451 || .277 || .707 || 6.3 || 3.3 || 1.1 || '''1.9''' || 15.4
|-
| align="left" | [[2000–01 NBA season|2000–01]]
| align="left" | [[Orlando Magic|Orlando]]
| 77 || 77 || 40.1 || '''.457''' || .355 || .733 || 7.5 || 4.6 || 1.5 || 1.5 || 26.8
|-
| align="left" | [[2001–02 NBA season|2001–02]]
| align="left" | [[Orlando Magic|Orlando]]
| 76 || 76 || 38.3 || .451 || .364 || .748 || '''7.9''' || 5.3 || 1.6 || 1.0 || 25.6
|-
| align="left" | [[2002–03 NBA season|2002–03]]
| align="left" | [[Orlando Magic|Orlando]]
| 75 || 74 || 39.4 || '''.457''' || '''.386''' || .793 || 6.5 || 5.5 || 1.6 || .8 || '''32.1'''
|-
| align="left" | [[2003–04 NBA season|2003–04]]
| align="left" | [[Orlando Magic|Orlando]]
| 67 || 67 || 39.9 || .417 || .339 || '''.796''' || 6.0 || 5.5 || 1.4 || .6 || 28.0
|-
| align="left" | [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05]]
| align="left" | [[Houston Rockets|Houston]]
| 78 || '''78''' || '''40.8''' || .431 || .326 || .774 || 6.2 || 5.7 || '''1.7''' || .7 || 25.7
|-
| align="left" | [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06]]
| align="left" | [[Houston Rockets|Houston]]
| 47 || 47 || 37.1 || .406 || .312 || .747 || 6.5 || 4.8 || 1.3 || .9 || 24.4
|-
| align="left" | [[2006–07 NBA season|2006–07]]
| align="left" | [[Houston Rockets|Houston]]
| 71 || 71 || 35.8 || .431 || .331 || .707 || 5.3 || '''6.5''' || 1.3 || .5 || 24.6
|-
| align="left" | [[2007–08 NBA season|2007–08]]
| align="left" | [[Houston Rockets|Houston]]
| 66 || 62 || 37.0 || .419 || .292 || .684 || 5.1 || 5.9 || 1.0 || .4 || 21.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 749 || 605 || 35.1 || .437 || .337 || .747 || 6.2 || 4.7 || 1.3 || .9 || 22.4
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 7 || 6 || 24.6 || .500 || .351 || .619 || 3.0 || 3.9 || 1.6 || .4 || 17.1
{{end box}}
==== Playoffs ====
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[1999–00 NBA season|1999–00]]
| align="left" | [[Toronto Raptors|Toronto]]
| 3 || 3 || 37.0 || .386 || .286 || '''.875''' || 7.0 || 3.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 16.7
|-
| align="left" | [[2000–01 NBA season|2000–01]]
| align="left" | [[Orlando Magic|Orlando]]
| 4 || 4 || '''44.5''' || .415 || .200 || .816 || 6.5 || '''8.3''' || 1.8 || 1.2 || '''33.8'''
|-
| align="left" | [[2001–02 NBA season|2001–02]]
| align="left" | [[Orlando Magic|Orlando]]
| 4 || 4 || '''44.5''' || '''.462''' || .313 || .739 || 6.3 || 5.5 || .5 || '''1.8''' || 30.8
|-
| align="left" | [[2002–03 NBA season|2002–03]]
| align="left" | [[Orlando Magic|Orlando]]
| '''7''' || '''7''' || 44.0 || .448 || .340 || .773 || 6.7 || 4.7 || '''2.0''' || .9 || 31.7
|-
| align="left" | [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05]]
| align="left" | [[Houston Rockets|Houston]]
| '''7''' || '''7''' || 43.0 || .456 || '''.370''' || .824 || 7.4 || 6.7 || 1.6 || 1.4 || 30.7
|-
| align="left" | [[2006–07 NBA season|2006–07]]
| align="left" | [[Houston Rockets|Houston]]
| '''7''' || '''7''' || 40.0 || .394 || .250 || .737 || 5.9 || 7.3 || .7 || .9 || 25.3
|-
| align="left" | [[2007–08 NBA season|2007–08]]
| align="left" | [[Houston Rockets|Houston]]
| 6 || 6 || 41.2 || .425 || .208 || .623 || '''8.2''' || 6.8 || 1.5 || .8 || 27.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 38 || 38 || 42.2 || .430 || .301 || .756 || 6.9 || 6.2 || 1.3 || 1.1 || 28.5
{{end box}}
==NBA career achievements==
* '''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 Magic franchise records===
*'''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 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)''': 3
*Shares '''NBA record''' for '''most three-point field goals made in one half''' with '''8''' ([[January 26]], [[2004]] [[Orlando Magic|Orlando]] vs. [[Cleveland Cavaliers|Cleveland]])
==See also==
*[[List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season]]
*[[List of National Basketball Association players with 60 or more points in a game]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commonscat|Tracy McGrady}}
* [http://www.t-mac.com Tracy McGrady's Official Website]
* [http://www.nba.com/playerfile/tracy_mcgrady/ NBA.com profile]
{{Houston Rockets Current Roster}}
{{1997 NBA Draft}}
{{NBA Most Improved Players}}
{{EA-NBA-Live-series}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGrady, Tracy}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African American sportspeople]]
[[Category:American basketball players]]
[[Category:Houston Rockets players]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association high school draftees]]
[[Category:Orlando Magic players]]
[[Category:People from Florida]]
[[Category:Toronto Raptors players]]
[[Category:Shooting guards]]
[[Category:Small forwards]]
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