There are countless data in the NBA to talk about all the players that make it up, and more specifically about its stars. However, we want to take advantage of the NBA suspension to investigate aspects of these great players that bring us closer to a more personal and curious side of them that you may not have known about.
After talking about LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, today it's time to get closer to one of the best scorers of the XNUMXst century: Tracy McGrady. Already retired, T-Mac left the NBA after an excellent career that only needed to shine in the playoffs; but today we will deal with that, today we have to look at aspects – some unknown – that will give us a more complete image of the seven-time All-Star.
- Adidas signed them before debuting. That's how it is. After standing out in high school and deciding to jump directly to the NBA, Adidas did not take long to notice him and sign him to the brand with a multi-year contract worth several million dollars. They were not wrong. After standing out in Toronto, his move to Orlando and his emergence as a star in the League led Adidas to create shoes for him, the T-Mac 1. Then, in 2002, coinciding with the end of the first agreement reached, he returned to sign with the company created in Germany in the long term. Currently he is still the image of the company, which throughout his career released five other models of ankle boots with his signature.
- Pumpkins to Kentucky. McGrady did not attend the university even though he had agreed to join the prestigious Kentucky institution. In 1997, his national recognition did not stop growing until he was considered by specialists one of the best projects among young Americans; so much so that Sports Illustrated He dedicated a three-page report to him. Alvis Smith, Adidas agent who invited him to the renowned ABCD Summer Camp, as well as his coach at Mount Zion Christian Academy, Joel Hopkins, would advise him to compete in the NCAA; However, McGrady was clear that his present that year was already the NBA. Kentucky couldn't enjoy his talent.
- Supporting refugees. Helping those who need it most has always been among McGrady's priorities. In 2007 he visited the Darfur refugee camps in Chad with the Enough Project. After that trip he spearheaded a project for refugee schools to collaborate with American educational institutions. Shortly after, a documentary about that visit would be released under the name '3 point'. Already with the Knicks, McGrady chose to wear the number '3' to help that cause.
- Solidarity work in the face of natural disasters. In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey reached Louisiana and Texas to bring chaos to the area. In Houston, to be exact, heavy rains lasted more than a week and left thousands of people stranded. McGrady, who maintains a special affection for the city where he played with the Rockets, organized with his wife a barbecue for nearly 800 people affected by the catastrophe. «We did it in less than 24 hours. We have lots of food and lots of friends and family helping out. We are going to provide food to the entire community. The most important thing is to get people to abstract themselves from the devastation to give them a moment of happiness, joy and laughter. "We all need it," he said at the time. Houston Chronicle.
- Expanding business horizons. After his career in the NBA was over, McGrady was clear that he had to use the money he earned wisely and try to progress at the business level. In that sense, he decided to buy part of Blue-04, a bottled water brand, as well as Dasdak, which is focused on advisory work and technological solutions and sponsors the New Orleans Pelicans. At this time he remains co-owner of both companies.
- Passion for baseball. McGrady has been a tremendous basketball player, but it didn't happen like that. Very attracted to the sport of hitters and pitchers, which he practiced since his childhood, this boy born in Florida was about to make his professional debut during the Lockout 1998; However, he ultimately ruled out the possibility of trying his luck in the MBL. Once retired from professional basketball, on February 4, 2014 he confirmed that he was working to become a professional baseball player. He would eventually debut with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League. After the All-Star of such a competition, and with only three months into his career, he announced his retirement.
- Tattoo religious tourism. In the NBA, tattoos are more than just common; What's more, there are players who arrive without any and in a few years have their own collection. In the case of McGrady, he carries a rather curious one on his right arm, since it has Psalm 37 of the Bible written on it, which begins by saying: 'Do not be angry because of the wicked nor be envious of those who do evil.' .
- Penny Hardaway, your reference. As we have mentioned before, when he was a child McGrady was very fond of baseball; so much so that he was not clear about whether he preferred the bat or the basket. That perception changed when he saw Penny Hardaway play in his youth. Since then he decided that he wanted to be an NBA star like him and also wear the number '1'; things that he would end up achieving. «I watched Penny's games and it drove me crazy. For me it was like watching Michael Jordan play. "I loved what he did and how he did it," he says about the former player.
- His wife, his lifelong girlfriend: McGrady came to the NBA when he was 18 and by then he had already been in a relationship with his current wife, Clerenda Harris, for a year. Together since adolescence, they married in Mexico in 2006 and have had four children. The second of them was born on December 27, 2005, coinciding with a game he was playing against the Utah Jazz. McGrady was notified and immediately left the meeting to attend the birth of his son.
- Announced his arrival in Orlando: Having been born in Florida, living about 60 kilometers from Orlando and with Penny Hardaway as an idol, playing for the Magic was undoubtedly a goal in McGrady's career. In that sense, in 1999, after facing Doc Rivers who was already coaching Orlando, he told him to save a place for him on the roster. According to T-Mac he didn't get him recruited, since he wanted to return home. In the summer of the following year Tracy would sign with the Magic as a free agent to fulfill his dream, and honor his word. He currently still works as an advisor to the Magic.
Did you know everything? What has surprised you the most? In the coming days we will continue with these personalized deliveries on some of the NBA players to get to know them beyond the enormous talent they show on the courts. Stories and characteristics that make them even more unique characters.
(Photograph by Andy Lyons /Allsport)