Tracy McGrady Biography

Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr., better known as Tracy McGrady, was born on May 24, 1979, in Bartow, Polk County, Florida, US, to Tracy McGrady Sr. and Melanise Williford.

McGrady’s father was mostly away when he was a child. Thus, McGrady was raised by his mother, Melanise, and his maternal grandmother, Roberta, in Auburndale. While Melanise was a housekeeper at Disney, Roberta worked as a janitor at an elementary school.

While studying at the Auburndale High School, McGrady played both basketball and baseball. He then moved to Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina, where he played senior season basketball.

Initially, he shot to fame with his performances at the Adidas ABCD Camp. He led Mt. Zion to become the country’s 2nd-ranked team. McGrady also bagged the title of the McDonald's All-American and was named North Carolina's Mr. Basketball by Associated Press and the High School Basketball Player of the Year by USA Today.

McGrady also played at the Roundball Classic in 1997. He later thought of playing college basketball at the University of Kentucky but eventually decided to try for the NBA Draft.

Tracy McGrady was picked by the Toronto Raptors as the 9th overall pick in the 1997 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft. He formed a winning duo with his third cousin, Vince Carter. By the 1999-2000 season, they delivered brilliant performances at the All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest.

That year, the Raptors finished the season with a record of 45-37 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in the history of the franchise. In 2000, McGrady joined Orlando Magic, eventually becoming a promising candidate for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.

McGrady also earned his first All-Star Game appearance and was named to his first All-NBA Team, as part of the All-NBA Second Team. He also became the league's Most Improved Player.

With a record of 43-39, Orlando Magic stepped into the playoffs. In the 3rd game of the series, McGrady earned 42 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Orlando Magic was, however, eventually eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks in 4 games.

In the 2001-2002 season, McGrady bagged his 2nd All-NBA Team selection, this time being named to the All-NBA First Team. By the end of the season, however, Orlando Magic were eliminated in the playoffs, losing to the Charlotte Hornets in 4 games.

In 2002-2003, McGrady earned his first scoring title. He also secured the 4th place in the NBA Most Valuable Player Award ranking. However, though Orlando held the series lead, they were eliminated in 7 games.

In the 2003-2004 season, McGrady fell out with Orlando general manager John Weisbrod and was also plagued by injuries. Later, however, McGrady recorded a career-high 62 points in a match against the Washington Wizards.

McGrady was named to the US men's national basketball team for the 2003 FIBA Americas Championship 2003 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. McGrady later helped the US team qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games with a win over Puerto Rico.

In 2004, McGrady was traded to the Houston Rockets. McGrady later signed a 3-year, $63 million deal extension with the team. While with the Rockets, McGrady teamed up with center Yao Ming to deliver praise-worthy performances.

In December 2004, McGrady scored 13 points in the last 35 seconds against the San Antonio Spurs, to record a miraculous victory. In the 2nd game of the 1st round of the postseason, McGrady scored a dunk over 7'6" Dallas Mavericks center Shawn Bradley and then recorded a game-winner.

In the 2005-2006 season, missed multiple games due to back spasms. He once had to be carried off the court in a stretcher. Nonetheless, McGrady played in that year's All-Star Game. However, due to his absences, the Rockets could not qualify for the playoffs.

In the 2006-2007 season, McGrady again faced heath issues. He averaged 24.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game that season.

In 2007-2008, the Rockets had a 22-game winning streak. However, McGrady was again plagued by shoulder and knee injuries. The Rockets were eliminated by the Utah Jazz in 6 games in the playoffs.

In 2008, McGrady underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder and left knee. Early that season, he missed 18 games. He then had a microfracture surgery in Chicago.

On February 18, 2010, McGrady joined the New York Knicks. After finishing the season averaging 9.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, he joined the Detroit Pistons in 2010-11. In 2011-12, he joined the Atlanta Hawks.

In 2013, he eventually retired from basketball, after a short-lived stint with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) team Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles and the NBA team San Antonio Spurs. In his illustrious career, McGrady became a 7-time NBA All-Star and a 2-time All-NBA First Team. In 2016, Sports Illustrated named him one of the 20 best basketball players. In 2017, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In 2002, Tracy McGrady bagged a long-term contract with Adidas. This resulted in a signature shoe line for McGrady.

Following his retirement, McGrady focused on entrepreneurship. His companies included the Washington, DC-based technology company Dasdak and the Florida-based bottled-water brand Blue-04. In August 2021, he lunched the app SOLEcial, which sold autographed shoes and other memorabilia.

He also worked as an NBA analyst at ESPN. He invested in the Minor League Baseball team Biloxi Shuckers, too.

A philanthropist, too, he has been associated with various charities, such as the Tracy McGrady Foundation, Ante Up for Africa, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He has also traveled to Chad and worked for the Darfurian refugee with the Enough Project in 2007.

In February 2014, he declared he was training with Roger Clemens to join the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball as a pitcher. On April 23 that year, he made the Opening Day roster for the Skeeters. In July the same year, he started the Atlantic League All-Star Game, scoring his first strikeout. However, he then retired from baseball.

Tracy McGrady married CleRenda Harris on September 12, 2006, in Los Cabos, Mexico. By then, they had already had their first son, Laymen (born in December 2005).

Their second son, Layden, was born in April 2009. Both their sons have begun training in basketball.

The couple also have 2 daughters, Layla Clarice and Laycee Aloe. Layla grew up to join the University of Miami, where she studied journalism, entrepreneurship, and sports administration.

CleRenda is a successful entrepreneur, who has founded Project PUSH, which aims at empowering women. She is also an inspirational speaker, a TV host, a life coach, a philanthropist, and an author. McGrady’s younger half-brother, Chance McGrady, has played college basketball, representing the Memphis Tigers.