Tracy McGrady Childhood

Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr. was born on May 24, 1979 in Bartow, FL. He was the son of Melanise Williford, who raised Tracy as a single mother. McGrady grew up in Auburndale, FL. He played multiple sports during his youth and excelled at them.

Tracy McGrady High School Stats and Awards

McGrady attended Auburndale High School and played baseball and basketball. He was at Auburndale up to his junior year. For his senior season McGrady transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy in North Carolina. T-Mac had a monster senior season, becoming National Player of the Year and an All-American. With colleges all over the country available to him, Tracy also had the NBA as an option. He decided to go straight to the league.

Tracy McGrady NBA Career Stats and Notes

McGrady was selected ninth overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. He spent three years with the Raptors before signing with the Orlando Magic prior to the 2000-01 season.

It was during this time period the Hall of Famer showed the league what he could do. T-Mac was unleashed, and put on one of the best scoring stretches in recent memory. However, the scoring numbers didn’t equate to wins, especially in the playoffs. By 2004, his tenure in Orlando was over.

McGrady was traded to the Houston Rockets before the 2004 season. He spent six seasons there and then was traded to the New York Knicks during the 2009-10 season. During the next couple of years, McGrady had short stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons and, after a year playing basketball in China, made a playoff run in the 2012-13 season with the San Antonio Spurs. Later in 2013, McGrady retired. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

Tracy McGrady 2003 and 2004 NBA Scoring Champion

When McGrady left for Orlando, the move opened up an opportunity for him to become a star. As a Raptor, McGrady wasn’t asked to lead the team as his teammate and cousin Vince Carter had that role. This new opportunity he took full advantage of.

In the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, T-Mac's talents were on full display. He had an offensive arsenal that was hard to stop. As a result, in 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, T-Mac averaged 32.1 and 28.0 points per game, respectively, clinching back to back NBA scoring titles. He became the first Magic to do so since Shaquille O’Neal captured the league’s scoring title in 1994-95.  

In 2004, during his worst season in Orlando, McGrady had his best scoring game as a pro. With the team on its way to a 21-61 record, the Magic hosted the Washington Wizards on March 10, 2004. McGrady was in a groove that night and there was nothing the Wizards could do to stop him. He exploded for a career high and Orlando Magic record 62 points. The Magic won the game 108-99.

List of Basketball Hall of Fame Members