McGrady was born on May 24, 1979, in a place well known for its toughness and its less-than-ideal socio-economic conditions. Yet, that same place “Polk County” Florida propelled Tracy to nurture an energy to rise far above and beyond what anyone could ever imagine. Born to Melanise Williford, and raised in a neighborhood called “The Hill”, there were more than enough distractions to have sidelined the youth as those same streets had swallowed up so many of his friends and peers, yet the quiet kid persevered and it paid off 10 fold. McGrady would make both the Auburndale High School baseball and basketball teams, but basketball offered him the best opportunity however baseball has always had his heart. McGrady would play high school basketball and baseball at Auburndale High School for three years before transferring to Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina for his senior season.[7] During his final year at Auburndale, McGrady posted averages of 23.1 points, 12.2 rebounds,[8] 4 assists, and 4.9 blocks per game.
A relatively unknown player coming out of Florida, McGrady made a name for himself after a strong performance at the Adidas ABCD Camp, an experience that helped him recognize his true talent. He later reflected, “Nobody had a clue who Tracy McGrady was. Sonny Vaccaro gave me that platform, and I played against the best players in the world at that time. I left that camp the No. 1 player in the nation, 175 to No. 1.” Behind his leadership, Mt. Zion emerged as the number two-ranked team in the country, and McGrady was named a McDonald’s All-American, USA Today High School Basketball Player of the Year, and North Carolina’s Mr. Basketball by the Associated Press. He also played at the 1997 Roundball Classic, scoring 13 points. His senior year averages were 27.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists,[12] 2.8 steals, and 2 blocks per game.[9] Initially, McGrady considered playing college basketball at the University of Kentucky, but he ultimately decided to enter the NBA draft as he was a projected lottery pick.
With an array of moves and the ability to score from anywhere on the court, Tracy McGrady was one of the toughest covers in league history during his 15-year NBA career. When the versatile slasher joined the Orlando Magic in 2000, he added a mid-range jump shot and established himself as one of the league’s top scorers. In 2001, McGrady was named Most Improved Player and was selected to his first of seven consecutive All-Star Games. The seven-time All-NBA performer achieved this high level of play despite foregoing college to jump straight from high school to the professional ranks. McGrady’s offensive repertoire helped him score a franchise record 62 points for the Orlando Magic and later he would thrill the home crowd in Houston on December 9, 2004, when as a Rocket McGrady put up 13 points in the final 35 seconds in a comeback victory against the San Antonio Spurs. T-Mac led the league in scoring for two straight seasons and was a true triple threat with over 5,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists to his name.
Once reluctant to accept that he deserved a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Tracy McGrady stood on that stage at Springfield’s Symphony Hall that Friday night in 2017 and firmly declared that he belongs alongside the game’s greatest players.
“Yes, I deserve to be here,” said McGrady, the headliner of this year’s 11-person class, near the end of a powerful nine-minute induction speech that balanced a sense of vindication with an appreciation for all those who delivered him to this point.
Upon arriving at the podium after an introduction video that offered an emphatic reminder of McGrady’s on-court excellence, he exulted by repeatedly screaming, “Yes!”
McGrady told the story of being out with his wife, CleRenda, in February when this year’s finalists were announced. She implored him to look into a mirror and say he deserved to be a Hall of Famer, but McGrady was reluctant.
“My wife knew something about me in that elevator that I had yet to admit and say out loud,” said McGrady. “There was a reason she wanted me to look myself in that mirror and say I deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. And there was also a reason why I couldn’t do it.”
“I had a zillion thoughts in my mind why I didn’t deserve to be here. I started thinking of all these NBA greats who had accomplished so many great things. Then I began to compare myself to them. It was way too easy to focus on what you don’t have and what you didn’t accomplish. But I’m grateful for those people that saw in me and believed in me, maybe when I always didn’t believe in myself.” This perhaps is more closely linked to his humble beginnings and youth experiences coming from Polk County.
McGrady became emotional while recalling the story of attending an Adidas basketball camp in 1996 as an unknown high schooler. He was given jersey No. 175, reflecting his recruiting status, and then dominated a camp headlined by Lamar Odom.
“The last guy to enter this camp and you give me that jersey: 175,” said McGrady, who turned away from the crowd while quickly collecting himself. “Nobody had a clue who Tracy McGrady was. [Adidas executive Sonny Vaccaro] gave me that platform, and I played against the best players in the world at that time. I left that camp the No. 1 player in the nation, 175 to No. 1.”
