History of Tracy McGrady in Timeline

Tracy McGrady, nicknamed T-Mac, is a retired American professional basketball player renowned for his NBA career. A seven-time All-Star and All-NBA selection, he secured two NBA scoring titles and the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2001. McGrady's accomplishments led to his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. He is celebrated as one of the NBA's premier scorers and shooting guards.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

May 24, 1979: Tracy McGrady Jr. Born

On May 24, 1979, Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr., also known as T-Mac, was born. He later became a professional basketball player known for his NBA career.

Others born on this day/year

1996: Ranked as one of the best basketball players

In 2016, Sports Illustrated listed Tracy McGrady as one of the 20 best basketball players since 1996.

1997: Discovered Relation With Vince Carter

In 1997, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter discovered they were distant cousins at a family reunion.

1997: Played at Roundball Classic

In 1997, Tracy McGrady played at the Roundball Classic, scoring 13 points, marking the culmination of his successful high school career.

1997: Drafted by Toronto Raptors and Limited Playing Time

In 1997, Tracy McGrady was drafted by the Toronto Raptors and experienced limited playing time during the 1997-98 season.

1997: Drafted by Toronto Raptors

In 1997, Tracy McGrady was drafted into the NBA by the Toronto Raptors as the ninth overall pick, straight out of high school.

1998: Raptors Drafted Vince Carter

In 1998, Before the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, the Raptors drafted McGrady's second cousin once removed, Vince Carter. The two became inseparable.

1998: Teammates with Vince Carter

In 1998, Tracy McGrady was teammates with Vince Carter with the Raptors.

1999: Developed a Reputation for Athleticism

By the 1999–2000 season, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter had developed a reputation for their athleticism.

August 3, 2000: Signed with Orlando Magic

On August 3, 2000, Tracy McGrady signed with the Orlando Magic through a sign-and-trade deal.

2000: Emergence as a Top NBA Player

During the 2000-01 season, Tracy McGrady emerged as one of the best players in the NBA, earning his first All-Star Game appearance.

2000: Joined Orlando Magic

In 2000, Tracy McGrady left the Toronto Raptors and joined the Orlando Magic, where he became a prolific scorer.

2000: Playoff Qualification and Tenure-High Score

In 2000, Tracy McGrady scored a tenure-high 28 points against the Pistons. He helped the Raptors qualify for the playoffs for the first time.

2000: Teammates with Vince Carter

In 2000, Tracy McGrady was teammates with Vince Carter with the Raptors.

2001: Earned Second All-NBA Team Selection

For the 2001–02 season, McGrady averaged 25.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, earning his second All-NBA Team selection, this time to the All-NBA First Team.

2001: All-NBA honors and NBA Most Improved Player Award

In 2001, Tracy McGrady earned All-NBA honors and won the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

2001: NBA Most Improved Player Award

In 2001, Tracy McGrady won the NBA Most Improved Player Award, marking a significant milestone in his career.

March 8, 2002: Season High 50 Point Game

On March 8, 2002, Tracy McGrady scored a season-high 50 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 99–96 win over the Washington Wizards.

2002: Partnership with Adidas

In 2002, Tracy McGrady signed a long-term partnership with Adidas, leading to a signature line of shoes.

2002: Premature Announcement of Second Round Berth

In 2002-03, the Magic took a 3-1 lead in the first round of the playoffs. Tracy McGrady made headlines when he prematurely assumed that Orlando were guaranteed to advance, replying in an interview, "It feels good to get in the second round."

2003: NBA scoring title

In 2003, Tracy McGrady earned NBA scoring title.

2003: Selected for United States national team

In 2003, Tracy McGrady was selected to the United States national team for the FIBA Americas Championship.

2003: Second Consecutive Scoring Title

In the 2003-04 season, Tracy McGrady won his second consecutive scoring title while playing for the Orlando Magic.

June 29, 2004: Traded to Houston Rockets

On June 29, 2004, Tracy McGrady, along with other players, was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato.

2004: Qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games

In 2004, McGrady played for the U.S. team that qualified for the Olympics after winning the FIBA Americas Championship.

2004: Traded to Houston Rockets

In 2004, Tracy McGrady was traded to the Houston Rockets, where he teamed up with Yao Ming.

2004: Memorable Performance Against the San Antonio Spurs

In 2004-05, On December 9, McGrady had one of the most memorable performances of his career, scoring 13 points in the final 35 seconds against the San Antonio Spurs including a last-second three-pointer to secure a comeback victory.

December 27, 2005: Birth of son Laymen Lamar

On December 27, 2005, Tracy McGrady's first son, Laymen Lamar, was born during a home game in Houston, which McGrady left at halftime.

2005: Draft Pick Traded to Raptors

In 2000, McGrady signed with the Magic. A future 2005 1st round draft pick (Fran Vázquez was later selected) was sent to the Raptors as part of the deal.

2005: Played in All-Star Game Despite Injuries

In 2005-06, despite health concerns, Tracy McGrady played in that year's All-Star Game in Houston, scoring 36 points in 27 minutes.

2006: Pressure to Advance in Postseason

In 2006-07, as pressure mounted on Tracy McGrady to lead the Houston Rockets deep into the postseason, he acknowledged the responsibility.

2007: All-Star Selection

In 2007, Tracy McGrady earned All-Star selection.

2007: Traveled to Darfurian refugee camps

In 2007, Tracy McGrady traveled to the Darfurian refugee camps in Chad with the Enough Project to support humanitarian efforts.

2007: Rockets 22-Game Winning Streak

In 2007-08, the Houston Rockets went on a 22-game winning streak, the second-longest in NBA history at the time, with Tracy McGrady expressing trust in his teammates.

2008: Underwent Arthroscopic Surgery

Following Houston's loss to Utah, in 2008 Tracy McGrady underwent arthroscopic surgery on both his left shoulder and left knee.

2008: Criticized All-Star Game

In 2008, Tracy McGrady was criticized for his comments on the All-Star Game being held in New Orleans, questioning public safety.

2008: Brother plays in NCAA tournament

In 2008, Tracy McGrady's younger brother, Chancellor "Chance" McGrady, played for the Memphis Tigers, who were runners-up in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

February 18, 2010: Traded to the New York Knicks

On February 18, 2010, Tracy McGrady was traded to the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade involving Houston, New York, and Sacramento.

2010: Season Averages

In the 2010-2011 NBA season, Tracy McGrady averaged 8 points per game.

2010: Changed jersey number

Prior to the start of the 2010 season with the Rockets, Tracy McGrady changed his jersey number to No. 3 to promote his humanitarian efforts.

January 14, 2011: Season High Against Raptors

On January 14, 2011, McGrady scored a season high 22 points and recorded 5 assists in a 101–95 victory over the Raptors.

2011: Signs with the Atlanta Hawks

Following the 2011 NBA lockout, Tracy McGrady signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks and did not start any of the 52 games he played.

January 2, 2012: Memorable performance against Miami Heat

On January 2, 2012, McGrady had a notable performance against the Miami Heat, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter to lead Atlanta to victory.

October 9, 2012: Signs with Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles

On October 9, 2012, Tracy McGrady signed a one-year deal with the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association.

April 16, 2013: Signs with San Antonio Spurs

On April 16, 2013, Tracy McGrady signed with the San Antonio Spurs, becoming eligible for their playoff roster and reaching the NBA Finals.

2013: Retirement from NBA

In 2013, Tracy McGrady retired from the NBA after a brief stint with the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles and the San Antonio Spurs.

February 4, 2014: Pursues Professional Baseball

On February 4, 2014, Tracy McGrady confirmed he was pursuing his dream of becoming a professional baseball player.

July 2014: Played professional baseball

From April to July 2014, Tracy McGrady realized his dream of playing professional baseball, pitching for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

2016: Ranked as one of the best basketball players

In 2016, Sports Illustrated listed Tracy McGrady as one of the 20 best basketball players since 1996.

2016: NBA Analyst for ESPN

Since 2016, Tracy McGrady has worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN.

2017: Induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

In 2017, Tracy McGrady was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, solidifying his legacy as one of the greats.

August 2021: Launched SOLEcial App

In August 2021, Tracy McGrady launched SOLEcial, an app for selling autographed memorabilia.

2021: Ranked as one of the greatest player in NBA history

In 2021, The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named McGrady as the 55th greatest player in NBA history.

December 2024: Purchased a minority stake in the Buffalo Bills

In December 2024, McGrady, his former Raptors teammate Vince Carter, Jozy Altidore and a coalition of private equity fund executives purchased a minority stake in the National Football League's Buffalo Bills.