Tracy McGrady
Encyclopedia
Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr., (born May 24, 1979) is an American professional basketball
player who last played for the Detroit Pistons
.
Entering the league after graduating from high school
, McGrady eventually became a seven-time All-Star. He led the league in scoring in 2003 and 2004. He has also played for the Toronto Raptors
, Orlando Magic
, Houston Rockets
and New York Knicks
. McGrady was ranked on SLAM Magazine's "Top 75 Players of All-Time" in 2003. McGrady's style of play has been compared to that of George Gervin
. Despite being criticized for never leading his teams out of the first round of the playoffs, McGrady leads all active players (and is 5th all time) in post season points per game (28.5 ppg).
in Auburndale, Florida for three years. He then transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy
, in Durham, North Carolina
. McGrady created a national buzz after his performance in the Adidas
ABCD Camp, where the best high school players in the U.S. are invited annually. He was named High School Player of the Year by USA Today
. McGrady has stated that if he had not gone straight to the NBA from high school, he would have attended Kentucky
.
by the Toronto Raptors
.
In McGrady's first two seasons with the Raptors, he averaged less than 10 points per game
, mainly coming off the bench. In his second season, he began playing alongside his second cousin
, Vince Carter
. The 1999–2000 season was McGrady's first breakout season in the NBA. He was a starter in 34 games out of 79, averaging 15.4 points per game, and a career-high 1.9 blocks
per game. McGrady also competed in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, finishing third, behind Carter and Steve Francis
.
In 2000, the duo of McGrady and Carter helped lead the Raptors to the playoffs
, for the first time in franchise history. However, the team was swept 3–0 by the New York Knicks
in the first round. McGrady was often overshadowed by Carter during his time in Toronto, and he became a free agent
in the summer of 2000. In the off-season, he expressed interest in playing for family and friends in his home state of Florida
.
in a sign-and-trade deal for a first round pick. In Orlando, he played alongside Grant Hill
, who had been acquired that summer in hope of bringing Orlando back among the Eastern Conference's elite teams. However, an ankle injury limited Hill to only 4 games and McGrady became the leader and 1st scoring option of the team. For the first time in his career McGrady was selected as an All-Star when he was voted by the fans to start in the midseason classic for the Eastern Conference. At season's end he was presented with the 2001 NBA Most Improved Player Award
. Even though McGrady had elevated his game from solid contributor to star, the Magic were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks
.
The following season, McGrady continued his great play. With Hill struggling with injuries, the Magic were a one-man show. He made his second All-Star team and First Team All-NBA while averaging 26 points per game. The Magic posted a 44–38 record for the year but they were beat again in the first round of the playoffs, this time by the Charlotte Hornets.
In the 2002–03 season, McGrady averaged 32.1 points per game and captured the NBA scoring title, becoming the youngest player to do so since the ABA-NBA merger
. Despite McGrady's personal accolades, the Magic failed to reach the second round of the playoffs. In a rather infamous moment, during the 2003 NBA Playoffs
, the Magic (who were an #8 seed) surprisingly took a 3–1 series lead against the heavily favored #1 seed Detroit Pistons
. Prior to the fifth game in Detroit
, McGrady was quoted as saying that how wonderful it was to "finally be in the position to advance to the second round (of the playoffs)". Orlando, however, lost Games 5, 6, and 7 by an average of more than 20 points, and Detroit advanced to the second round.
In the 2003–04 season, he once again captured the NBA scoring title, averaging 28 points per game, and set a career high with 62 points against the Washington Wizards
at the TD Waterhouse Centre on March 10, 2004. With this performance, he became the fourth player in the past 12 years to score over 60 points in a game.
On June 29, 2004, McGrady, Juwan Howard
, Tyronn Lue
, and Reece Gaines
were traded to the Houston Rockets
in a seven-player deal that sent Steve Francis
, Cuttino Mobley
, and Kelvin Cato
to the Magic. In his first year with the Houston Rockets, McGrady teamed with 7' 6" center
Yao Ming
, to end the season ranked 5th in the Western Conference
. On December 9, 2004, he scored 13 points in the last 35 seconds of a game against the San Antonio Spurs
, with four consecutive 3 pointers
(one of which was part of a four-point play), including a steal and the game-winning 3 pointer with 1.7 seconds left in the game that helped the Rockets win 81–80.
The Rockets first season with McGrady started off slowly as they struggled to find a compatible point guard to play with McGrady's skill set in the backcourt. The solution was found when they named Bob Sura
, who was returning from an injury, played well enough to earn the starting PG job. The Rockets traded Tyronn Lue
for Jon Barry
for 3-point shooting off the bench. The Rockets also acquired David Wesley
from the Hornets to bolster their backcourt defense, particularly on smaller guards. With these new trades, McGrady was moved to SF, with a starting lineup of Bob Sura, David Wesley, Juwan Howard
, and Yao Ming
. The Rockets then ran the offense through McGrady, utilized the inside game of Yao, and used the perimeter game of Howard's baseline jumper and 3-point shooting effectively. The Rockets finished the 2004–05 season 51–31 as the 5th seed in the playoffs.
Despite McGrady's stellar play in the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs
where he averaged 30.7 ppg, 6.7 apg, and 7.4 rpg, Houston was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks
in game seven by 40 points, despite having a 2–0 lead to start the series. McGrady missed 6 of his first 7 shots in Game 7 and the Rockets were never able to match the intensity of the Dallas Mavericks. McGrady's signature moment in the Dallas playoffs series was in Game 2, where he blew past Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki
and dunked over Dallas center Shawn Bradley
, who is 7' 6". In that game, McGrady also hit the game winner for a 113-111 win.
In the early 2005–06 season, McGrady missed eight games because of multiple back spasms. His back problems resurfaced on January 8, 2006 when he had to be taken out at halftime in a game against the Denver Nuggets
on a stretcher to the hospital because of severe back spasms. He had been out for five games. Since his return, the spasms have still been a problem for McGrady. In the 2005–06 season the Rockets were 2–15 in games he did not play in and 2–16 in games McGrady did not finish. While McGrady was injured for five games with his back injury, the Rockets did not win a single game. Other injuries include him falling on his back in a game against the Indiana Pacers
. Despite his back injuries, McGrady was voted into the 2006 All-Star Game in Houston. His western conference teammates constantly put the ball in his hands to put him in contention for the All-Star MVP award in front of his Houston home crowd. A controversy resulted in the final minute when McGrady attempted a jump shot that would have given the West the lead and control of the game. Replays showed LeBron James
, who was guarding McGrady appearing to make contact with McGrady's elbow, causing the shot attempt to fall way short of the basket. However, no foul was whistled, the East won, and LeBron James was named All-Star MVP.
In the 2006–07 season, McGrady started out slowly, and after missing 7 games with back spasms he visited a doctor. In an interview with TNT, McGrady said that he thought that his body was slowing down. He believed that he could no longer be as explosive as he was in the past due to his back injury. Shortly after another bout with back spasms, McGrady went to Waco, Texas where Dr. John Patterson performed "Synergy Release Therapy" to cure his chronic back problems, particularly the back spasms. However, since Yao Ming was having another breakout season, he was deferring to Yao as the number one option. Since Yao went down with a leg injury, McGrady stepped up his overall play, re-establishing himself as one of the game's premier players and by doing so led Houston to the 5th best record in the league. On December 29, 2006, he became the third youngest player in NBA history to reach 14,000 points and 4,000 rebounds. However, in the playoffs, the Rockets lost their first round series to the Utah Jazz
4–3, again preventing McGrady from advancing to the second round of the playoffs. A tear fell down his cheek during the press-conference after losing game seven 103–99 to the Utah Jazz in the 2007 Playoffs
. Prior to the series with the Jazz, McGrady had stated in an interview with Stephen A. Smith
that if he and the Rockets failed to make it out of the first round again, it was "on me".
After the 2006–07 season, following the Rockets first round playoff defeat, Jeff Van Gundy
was fired as head coach by Rockets management. Rick Adelman
was hired as head coach as Rockets owner Leslie Alexander
wanted a more uptempo offense to utilize the offensive skill set of Yao and McGrady.
The 2007–08 season for the Rockets was decimated by injuries, most notable Yao Ming being placed on injured reserve in February. Incredibly, the Rockets won 22 straight games (10 without Yao). The Rockets finished as the 5th seed in the West and earned a rematch with the Utah Jazz. However, by the time playoffs came, McGrady was already nursing shoulder and knee injuries as he had bandages placed on his shoulder and his knee throughout the playoff series. McGrady took pain-killing injections in and had fluid drained from both his shoulder and knee to allow him to play. The Jazz again eliminated the Rockets in six games, despite McGrady recording 40 points and 10 rebounds in the decisive Game Six, a 113–91 loss.
In May 2008, McGrady underwent arthroscopic surgery on both his left shoulder and left knee.
On February 18, 2009, McGrady announced on his website that he would have surgery on his left knee and would miss the remainder of the 2008–09 season
. He had already missed 18 games before the All-Star break, including a two-week stretch in January, and said before the season that his knee was not healed from his off-season surgery. Head coach Rick Adelman, who found out about the announcement when he read the newspaper in the morning, criticized McGrady for not informing the team of the decision. He decided to have microfracture surgery
in Chicago on February 24, 2009. The cartilage damage to be repaired by the microfracture surgery was in a small area on a non-weight-bearing surface, and the rest of his knee was otherwise healthy, according to the team doctor.
Despite McGrady being on injured reserve, the Rockets beat the Trail Blazers
4–2 in the first round of the playoffs to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997. The Rockets would compete in a memorable series against the eventual NBA champion LA Lakers, before losing Game 7 in LA. Since McGrady was on the Rockets' roster during the 2009 NBA Playoffs
, he officially advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in his career.
McGrady only played in six games with the Rockets during the 2009–10 season
, all in limited minutes as a reserve due to injuries, before being traded to the New York Knicks
in February.
. On February 20, 2010, McGrady made his debut for the Knicks against the Oklahoma City Thunder
, to a sold-out Madison Square Garden, amid many "We Want T-Mac!" chants. He scored 26 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished 5 assists in 32 minutes of play as New York lost in overtime. This was McGrady's first game since December 23, 2009 against the Orlando Magic. His first win as a member of the Knicks came six days later, in a 23-point effort against the Washington Wizards
.
. On December 7, 2010, McGrady returned to Houston for the first time to a mixture of applause and boos from the home crowd and scored 11 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and dished 3 assists in a 97-83 loss. On January 14, 2011, McGrady scored a season-high of 22 points in a 101-95 win over the Toronto Raptors
. McGrady averaged 8.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 23.4 minutes for the Detroit Pistons but they failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.
in which McGrady left during halftime to see his girlfriend going into labor. The couple were married on September 12, 2006 in Mexico.
McGrady and Vince Carter
are second cousins; McGrady learned that his grandmother and Carter's grandmother were cousins at a family reunion while he was still in high school and Carter played at the University of North Carolina
. The two played together with the Toronto Raptors
for two years before McGrady left for free agency. After McGrady left, he and Carter had a feud, but this was resolved in a short period of time.
Tracy's younger brother, Chancellor "Chance" McGrady, played for the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Runner-Up Memphis Tigers
basketball team.
In 2008, McGrady was criticized for his comments on the All-Star game being held in New Orleans, only 3 years removed from the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. McGrady publicly questioned the quality of public safety and protection of NBA players.
, agreeing to an endorsement deal that will last through his playing career and beyond. He also appeared on the cover of NBA Live 07
.
In 2009, McGrady changed his jersey number to #3. He made the switch to promote his humanitarian efforts in the Darfur region of the Sudan and a documentary on his summer 2007 visits to refugee camps in the region. The documentary is called 3 Points.
. He was invited to the Olympics but did not attend.
| style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98
| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto
| 64 || 17 || 18.4 || .450 || .341 || .712 || 4.2 || 1.5 || .8 || .9 || 7.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99
| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto
| 49 || 2 || 22.6 || .436 || .229 || .726 || 5.7 || 2.3 || 1.1 || 1.4 || 9.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00
| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto
| 79 || 34 || 31.2 || .451 || .277 || .707 || 6.3 || 3.3 || 1.1 || 1.9 || 15.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 77 || 77 || 40.1 || .457 || .355 || .733 || 7.5 || 4.6 || 1.5 || 1.5 || 26.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 76 || 76 || 38.3 || .451 || .364 || .748 || 7.9 || 5.3 || 1.6 || 1.0 || 25.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 75 || 74 || 39.4 || .457 || .386 || .793 || 6.5 || 5.5 || 1.6 || .8 || 32.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 67 || 67 || 39.9 || .417 || .339 || .796 || 6.0 || 5.5 || 1.4 || .6 || 28.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 78 || 78 || 40.8 || .431 || .326 || .774 || 6.2 || 5.7 || 1.7 || .7 || 25.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 47 || 47 || 37.1 || .406 || .312 || .747 || 6.5 || 4.8 || 1.3 || .9 || 24.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 71 || 71 || 35.8 || .431 || .331 || .707 || 5.3 || 6.5 || 1.3 || .5 || 24.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 66 || 62 || 37.0 || .419 || .292 || .684 || 5.1 || 5.9 || 1.0 || .4 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 35 || 35 || 33.7|| .388 || .376 || .801 || 4.4 || 5.0 || 1.2 || .4 || 15.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 6 || 0 || 7.7 || .368 || .500 || .667 || 0.8 || 1.0 || .0 || .3 || 3.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| New York
| 24 || 24 || 26.1 || .389 || .242 || .754 || 3.7 || 3.9 || .6 || .5 || 9.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| Detroit
| 72 || 39 || 23.4 || .442 || .341 || .698 || 3.5 || 3.5 || .9 || .5 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 886 || 703 || 33.7 || .435 || .337 || .747 || 5.8 || 4.6 || 1.3 || .9 || 20.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 7 || 6 || 24.6 || .500 || .351 || .619 || 3.0 || 3.9 || 1.6 || .4 || 17.1
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00
| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto
| 3 || 3 || 37.0 || .386 || .286 || .875 || 7.0 || 3.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 16.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 4 || 4 || 44.5 || .415 || .200 || .816 || 6.5 || 8.3 || 1.8 || 1.2 || 33.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 4 || 4 || 44.5 || .462 || .313 || .739 || 6.3 || 5.5 || .5 || 1.8 || 30.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 7 || 7 || 44.0 || .448 || .340 || .773 || 6.7 || 4.7 || 2.0 || .9 || 31.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 7 || 7 || 43.0 || .456 || .370 || .824 || 7.4 || 6.7 || 1.6 || 1.4 || 30.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 7 || 7 || 40.0 || .394 || .250 || .737 || 5.9 || 7.3 || .7 || .9 || 25.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 6 || 6 || 41.2 || .425 || .208 || .623 || 8.2 || 6.8 || 1.5 || .8 || 27.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 38 || 38 || 42.2 || .430 || .301 || .756 || 6.9 || 6.2 || 1.3 || 1.1 || 28.5
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who last played for the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
.
Entering the league after graduating from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, McGrady eventually became a seven-time All-Star. He led the league in scoring in 2003 and 2004. He has also played for the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
, Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
, Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
and New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. McGrady was ranked on SLAM Magazine's "Top 75 Players of All-Time" in 2003. McGrady's style of play has been compared to that of George Gervin
George Gervin
George "The Iceman" Gervin is a retired American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls...
. Despite being criticized for never leading his teams out of the first round of the playoffs, McGrady leads all active players (and is 5th all time) in post season points per game (28.5 ppg).
Early years
Tracy McGrady played high school basketball at Auburndale High SchoolAuburndale High School
Auburndale High School is a four-year public high school located in Auburndale, Florida, a city of 14,033 . The school serves about 1,550 students from ninth through twelfth grades. The minority rate is 37% and the free/reduced lunch rate is 49%.The school operates on a 7 period a day bell...
in Auburndale, Florida for three years. He then transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy
Mt. Zion Christian Academy
Mount Zion Christian Academy is a college preparatory, non-denominational, co-educational day school and boarding school located in Durham, North Carolina. The Academy is most noted for its successful prep basketball program. The prep program has produced many D-1 college players,...
, in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
. McGrady created a national buzz after his performance in the Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
ABCD Camp, where the best high school players in the U.S. are invited annually. He was named High School Player of the Year by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
. McGrady has stated that if he had not gone straight to the NBA from high school, he would have attended Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
.
Toronto Raptors (1997–2000)
McGrady was drafted ninth overall in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft1997 NBA Draft
The 1997 NBA Draft took place on June 25, 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the Celtics had the second worst record in the 1996-97 season and the best odds of winning the lottery with two picks, the Spurs, usually a model of winning and consistency, lost David Robinson to an injury early...
by the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
.
In McGrady's first two seasons with the Raptors, he averaged less than 10 points per game
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
, mainly coming off the bench. In his second season, he began playing alongside his second cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
, Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
. The 1999–2000 season was McGrady's first breakout season in the NBA. He was a starter in 34 games out of 79, averaging 15.4 points per game, and a career-high 1.9 blocks
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
per game. McGrady also competed in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, finishing third, behind Carter and Steve Francis
Steve Francis
Steven D'Shawn Francis is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. He had also played for the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks...
.
In 2000, the duo of McGrady and Carter helped lead the Raptors to the playoffs
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
, for the first time in franchise history. However, the team was swept 3–0 by the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the first round. McGrady was often overshadowed by Carter during his time in Toronto, and he became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in the summer of 2000. In the off-season, he expressed interest in playing for family and friends in his home state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Orlando Magic (2000–2004)
On August 3, 2000, McGrady was dealt to the Orlando MagicOrlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in a sign-and-trade deal for a first round pick. In Orlando, he played alongside Grant Hill
Grant Hill (basketball)
Grant Henry Hill is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Phoenix Suns. As a collegian with Duke University and early in his professional career with the Detroit Pistons, Hill was widely considered to be one of the best all-around players in the game, often...
, who had been acquired that summer in hope of bringing Orlando back among the Eastern Conference's elite teams. However, an ankle injury limited Hill to only 4 games and McGrady became the leader and 1st scoring option of the team. For the first time in his career McGrady was selected as an All-Star when he was voted by the fans to start in the midseason classic for the Eastern Conference. At season's end he was presented with the 2001 NBA Most Improved Player Award
NBA Most Improved Player Award
The National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...
. Even though McGrady had elevated his game from solid contributor to star, the Magic were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
.
The following season, McGrady continued his great play. With Hill struggling with injuries, the Magic were a one-man show. He made his second All-Star team and First Team All-NBA while averaging 26 points per game. The Magic posted a 44–38 record for the year but they were beat again in the first round of the playoffs, this time by the Charlotte Hornets.
In the 2002–03 season, McGrady averaged 32.1 points per game and captured the NBA scoring title, becoming the youngest player to do so since the ABA-NBA merger
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
. Despite McGrady's personal accolades, the Magic failed to reach the second round of the playoffs. In a rather infamous moment, during the 2003 NBA Playoffs
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
, the Magic (who were an #8 seed) surprisingly took a 3–1 series lead against the heavily favored #1 seed Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. Prior to the fifth game in Detroit
The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb on the northern outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association...
, McGrady was quoted as saying that how wonderful it was to "finally be in the position to advance to the second round (of the playoffs)". Orlando, however, lost Games 5, 6, and 7 by an average of more than 20 points, and Detroit advanced to the second round.
In the 2003–04 season, he once again captured the NBA scoring title, averaging 28 points per game, and set a career high with 62 points against the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
at the TD Waterhouse Centre on March 10, 2004. With this performance, he became the fourth player in the past 12 years to score over 60 points in a game.
Houston Rockets (2004–2010)
Juwan Howard
Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets...
, Tyronn Lue
Tyronn Lue
Tyronn Jamar Lue is a former American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association...
, and Reece Gaines
Reece Gaines
Clifton Reece Gaines is an American professional basketball guard.Gaines, a 6'6", 205 lb shooting guard played high school basketball at Madison West in his hometown...
were traded to the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in a seven-player deal that sent Steve Francis
Steve Francis
Steven D'Shawn Francis is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. He had also played for the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks...
, Cuttino Mobley
Cuttino Mobley
Cuttino Rashawn Mobley is a former American professional basketball shooting guard who played from 1998 to 2008 in the National Basketball Association .-Biography:...
, and Kelvin Cato
Kelvin Cato
- College career :Cato was an obscure player averaging six points and six rebounds at the University of South Alabama in 1992-93. At that time, he struck up a relationship with then University of New Orleans coach Tim Floyd, who recognized Cato's potential. In 1994, Floyd took over as head coach...
to the Magic. In his first year with the Houston Rockets, McGrady teamed with 7' 6" center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Yao Ming
Yao Ming
Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
, to end the season ranked 5th in the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
. On December 9, 2004, he scored 13 points in the last 35 seconds of a game against the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, with four consecutive 3 pointers
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
(one of which was part of a four-point play), including a steal and the game-winning 3 pointer with 1.7 seconds left in the game that helped the Rockets win 81–80.
The Rockets first season with McGrady started off slowly as they struggled to find a compatible point guard to play with McGrady's skill set in the backcourt. The solution was found when they named Bob Sura
Bob Sura
Robert Sura Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets in the NBA. At 6'5" , 200 lb , he played as a guard....
, who was returning from an injury, played well enough to earn the starting PG job. The Rockets traded Tyronn Lue
Tyronn Lue
Tyronn Jamar Lue is a former American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association...
for Jon Barry
Jon Barry
Jon Alan Barry is an American former basketball player and current television analyst for ABC and ESPN.-Biography:Barry is the son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, and has three brothers: Scooter, Drew, and Brent, all of whom are also basketball players. Jon played his high school basketball at De La...
for 3-point shooting off the bench. The Rockets also acquired David Wesley
David Wesley
David Barakau Wesley is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He is the cousin of former NBA player Michael Dickerson. He is currently an assistant coach for the Texas Legends.-High school and college:...
from the Hornets to bolster their backcourt defense, particularly on smaller guards. With these new trades, McGrady was moved to SF, with a starting lineup of Bob Sura, David Wesley, Juwan Howard
Juwan Howard
Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets...
, and Yao Ming
Yao Ming
Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
. The Rockets then ran the offense through McGrady, utilized the inside game of Yao, and used the perimeter game of Howard's baseline jumper and 3-point shooting effectively. The Rockets finished the 2004–05 season 51–31 as the 5th seed in the playoffs.
Despite McGrady's stellar play in the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
where he averaged 30.7 ppg, 6.7 apg, and 7.4 rpg, Houston was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in game seven by 40 points, despite having a 2–0 lead to start the series. McGrady missed 6 of his first 7 shots in Game 7 and the Rockets were never able to match the intensity of the Dallas Mavericks. McGrady's signature moment in the Dallas playoffs series was in Game 2, where he blew past Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
and dunked over Dallas center Shawn Bradley
Shawn Bradley
Shawn Paul Bradley is a retired American and German basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. At tall, Bradley was one of the tallest players in NBA history...
, who is 7' 6". In that game, McGrady also hit the game winner for a 113-111 win.
In the early 2005–06 season, McGrady missed eight games because of multiple back spasms. His back problems resurfaced on January 8, 2006 when he had to be taken out at halftime in a game against the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
on a stretcher to the hospital because of severe back spasms. He had been out for five games. Since his return, the spasms have still been a problem for McGrady. In the 2005–06 season the Rockets were 2–15 in games he did not play in and 2–16 in games McGrady did not finish. While McGrady was injured for five games with his back injury, the Rockets did not win a single game. Other injuries include him falling on his back in a game against the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. Despite his back injuries, McGrady was voted into the 2006 All-Star Game in Houston. His western conference teammates constantly put the ball in his hands to put him in contention for the All-Star MVP award in front of his Houston home crowd. A controversy resulted in the final minute when McGrady attempted a jump shot that would have given the West the lead and control of the game. Replays showed LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, who was guarding McGrady appearing to make contact with McGrady's elbow, causing the shot attempt to fall way short of the basket. However, no foul was whistled, the East won, and LeBron James was named All-Star MVP.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4–3, again preventing McGrady from advancing to the second round of the playoffs. A tear fell down his cheek during the press-conference after losing game seven 103–99 to the Utah Jazz in the 2007 Playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
. Prior to the series with the Jazz, McGrady had stated in an interview with Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith
-Early years:Smith was raised in the Hollis neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. He lived with his parents and four older sisters.He attended Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
that if he and the Rockets failed to make it out of the first round again, it was "on me".
After the 2006–07 season, following the Rockets first round playoff defeat, Jeff Van Gundy
Jeff Van Gundy
Jeffrey William "Jeff" Van Gundy is a former American basketball head coach. He coached most recently with the National Basketball Association's Houston Rockets...
was fired as head coach by Rockets management. Rick Adelman
Rick Adelman
Richard Leonard "Rick" Adelman is an American former basketball professional player and current basketball coach. He is the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. Confirmation of the hiring came from the Timberwolves on September 13, 2011...
was hired as head coach as Rockets owner Leslie Alexander
Leslie Alexander
Leslie Lee Alexander is a former stock trader from New Jersey who owns the National Basketball Association team Houston Rockets. He started trading options and bonds for a Wall Street firm before he broke off to form his own investment company, The Alexander Group, in 1980...
wanted a more uptempo offense to utilize the offensive skill set of Yao and McGrady.
The 2007–08 season for the Rockets was decimated by injuries, most notable Yao Ming being placed on injured reserve in February. Incredibly, the Rockets won 22 straight games (10 without Yao). The Rockets finished as the 5th seed in the West and earned a rematch with the Utah Jazz. However, by the time playoffs came, McGrady was already nursing shoulder and knee injuries as he had bandages placed on his shoulder and his knee throughout the playoff series. McGrady took pain-killing injections in and had fluid drained from both his shoulder and knee to allow him to play. The Jazz again eliminated the Rockets in six games, despite McGrady recording 40 points and 10 rebounds in the decisive Game Six, a 113–91 loss.
In May 2008, McGrady underwent arthroscopic surgery on both his left shoulder and left knee.
On February 18, 2009, McGrady announced on his website that he would have surgery on his left knee and would miss the remainder of the 2008–09 season
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
. He had already missed 18 games before the All-Star break, including a two-week stretch in January, and said before the season that his knee was not healed from his off-season surgery. Head coach Rick Adelman, who found out about the announcement when he read the newspaper in the morning, criticized McGrady for not informing the team of the decision. He decided to have microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery
Microfracture surgery is one of the articular cartilage repair surgical techniques that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot...
in Chicago on February 24, 2009. The cartilage damage to be repaired by the microfracture surgery was in a small area on a non-weight-bearing surface, and the rest of his knee was otherwise healthy, according to the team doctor.
Despite McGrady being on injured reserve, the Rockets beat the Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
4–2 in the first round of the playoffs to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997. The Rockets would compete in a memorable series against the eventual NBA champion LA Lakers, before losing Game 7 in LA. Since McGrady was on the Rockets' roster during the 2009 NBA Playoffs
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
, he officially advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in his career.
McGrady only played in six games with the Rockets during the 2009–10 season
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
, all in limited minutes as a reserve due to injuries, before being traded to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in February.
New York Knicks (2010)
On February 18, 2010, McGrady was traded to the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade involving Houston, New York, and the Sacramento KingsSacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. On February 20, 2010, McGrady made his debut for the Knicks against the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
, to a sold-out Madison Square Garden, amid many "We Want T-Mac!" chants. He scored 26 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished 5 assists in 32 minutes of play as New York lost in overtime. This was McGrady's first game since December 23, 2009 against the Orlando Magic. His first win as a member of the Knicks came six days later, in a 23-point effort against the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
.
Detroit Pistons (2010–2011)
On August 16, 2010, McGrady signed a one-year contract with the Detroit PistonsDetroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. On December 7, 2010, McGrady returned to Houston for the first time to a mixture of applause and boos from the home crowd and scored 11 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and dished 3 assists in a 97-83 loss. On January 14, 2011, McGrady scored a season-high of 22 points in a 101-95 win over the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
. McGrady averaged 8.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 23.4 minutes for the Detroit Pistons but they failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Personal life
McGrady has four children—daughters Layla Clarice, Laycee Aloe, and sons Laymen Lamar, Layden—with his wife CleRenda Harris, whom he had dated for 10 years. Their first son was born on December 27, 2005 during a 82–74 loss against the Utah JazzUtah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in which McGrady left during halftime to see his girlfriend going into labor. The couple were married on September 12, 2006 in Mexico.
McGrady and Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
are second cousins; McGrady learned that his grandmother and Carter's grandmother were cousins at a family reunion while he was still in high school and Carter played at the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. The two played together with the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
for two years before McGrady left for free agency. After McGrady left, he and Carter had a feud, but this was resolved in a short period of time.
Tracy's younger brother, Chancellor "Chance" McGrady, played for the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Runner-Up Memphis Tigers
Memphis Tigers
The Memphis Tigers represent the University of Memphis in Division I of the NCAA. They are members of C-USA and currently feature nine women's sports and nine men's sports...
basketball team.
In 2008, McGrady was criticized for his comments on the All-Star game being held in New Orleans, only 3 years removed from the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. McGrady publicly questioned the quality of public safety and protection of NBA players.
Endorsements
In 2002, McGrady signed a longterm partnership with AdidasAdidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
, agreeing to an endorsement deal that will last through his playing career and beyond. He also appeared on the cover of NBA Live 07
NBA Live series
The NBA Elite is series of basketball video games, published by EA Sports. There has not been any entry in the series on a home console since 2009. In November 2010, development of the franchise was moved from EA Canada studio to Florida-based Tiburon studio...
.
Philanthropy
McGrady has traveled to the Darfurian refugee camps in Chad with John Prendergast and Omer Ismail of the ENOUGH Project. McGrady is actively recruiting NBA players to support a sister schools initiative linking schools in Darfurian refugee camps to American middle schools, high schools and universities.In 2009, McGrady changed his jersey number to #3. He made the switch to promote his humanitarian efforts in the Darfur region of the Sudan and a documentary on his summer 2007 visits to refugee camps in the region. The documentary is called 3 Points.
USA career
He was a member of the United States men's national basketball team in the 2003 Tournament of the Americas where the USA team won the tournament and qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. He was invited to the Olympics but did not attend.
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98
| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 64 || 17 || 18.4 || .450 || .341 || .712 || 4.2 || 1.5 || .8 || .9 || 7.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99
| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto
| 49 || 2 || 22.6 || .436 || .229 || .726 || 5.7 || 2.3 || 1.1 || 1.4 || 9.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00
| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto
| 79 || 34 || 31.2 || .451 || .277 || .707 || 6.3 || 3.3 || 1.1 || 1.9 || 15.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
| 77 || 77 || 40.1 || .457 || .355 || .733 || 7.5 || 4.6 || 1.5 || 1.5 || 26.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 76 || 76 || 38.3 || .451 || .364 || .748 || 7.9 || 5.3 || 1.6 || 1.0 || 25.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 75 || 74 || 39.4 || .457 || .386 || .793 || 6.5 || 5.5 || 1.6 || .8 || 32.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 67 || 67 || 39.9 || .417 || .339 || .796 || 6.0 || 5.5 || 1.4 || .6 || 28.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 78 || 78 || 40.8 || .431 || .326 || .774 || 6.2 || 5.7 || 1.7 || .7 || 25.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 47 || 47 || 37.1 || .406 || .312 || .747 || 6.5 || 4.8 || 1.3 || .9 || 24.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 71 || 71 || 35.8 || .431 || .331 || .707 || 5.3 || 6.5 || 1.3 || .5 || 24.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 66 || 62 || 37.0 || .419 || .292 || .684 || 5.1 || 5.9 || 1.0 || .4 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 35 || 35 || 33.7|| .388 || .376 || .801 || 4.4 || 5.0 || 1.2 || .4 || 15.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 6 || 0 || 7.7 || .368 || .500 || .667 || 0.8 || 1.0 || .0 || .3 || 3.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 24 || 24 || 26.1 || .389 || .242 || .754 || 3.7 || 3.9 || .6 || .5 || 9.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| style="text-align:left;"| Detroit
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
| 72 || 39 || 23.4 || .442 || .341 || .698 || 3.5 || 3.5 || .9 || .5 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 886 || 703 || 33.7 || .435 || .337 || .747 || 5.8 || 4.6 || 1.3 || .9 || 20.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 7 || 6 || 24.6 || .500 || .351 || .619 || 3.0 || 3.9 || 1.6 || .4 || 17.1
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00
| style="text-align:left;"| Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 3 || 3 || 37.0 || .386 || .286 || .875 || 7.0 || 3.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 16.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
| 4 || 4 || 44.5 || .415 || .200 || .816 || 6.5 || 8.3 || 1.8 || 1.2 || 33.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 4 || 4 || 44.5 || .462 || .313 || .739 || 6.3 || 5.5 || .5 || 1.8 || 30.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Orlando
| 7 || 7 || 44.0 || .448 || .340 || .773 || 6.7 || 4.7 || 2.0 || .9 || 31.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 7 || 7 || 43.0 || .456 || .370 || .824 || 7.4 || 6.7 || 1.6 || 1.4 || 30.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 7 || 7 || 40.0 || .394 || .250 || .737 || 5.9 || 7.3 || .7 || .9 || 25.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Houston
| 6 || 6 || 41.2 || .425 || .208 || .623 || 8.2 || 6.8 || 1.5 || .8 || 27.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 38 || 38 || 42.2 || .430 || .301 || .756 || 6.9 || 6.2 || 1.3 || 1.1 || 28.5
NBA career achievements
- 2× NBA Scoring Champion: 2003 (32.1), 2004 (28.0)
- 7× NBA All-Star: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
- 7× All-NBAAll-NBA TeamThe All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
: - First Team: 2002, 2003
- Second Team: 2001, 2004, 2007
- Third Team: 2005, 2008
- NBA Most Improved Player AwardNBA Most Improved Player AwardThe National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...
: 2001
Orlando Magic franchise records
- All-Time Free Throws Made (1,819)
- Most points in one game with 62 (March 10, 2004 vs. Washington WizardsWashington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
) - Most points in one half with 37 in the first half (March 9, 2003 vs. Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
) - Most points in one quarter with 25 in the second quarter (March 9, 2003 vs. Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
) - Most free throws made in one game with 18 (December 25, 2002 vs. Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
) - Most points in a playoff game with 46 (Tied, Dwight HowardDwight HowardDwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
; in Game 2 of the 2003 Eastern Conference playoffs, First Round vs. Detroit Pistons) - Most three-point field goals made in one half with 8 (January 26, 2004 vs. Cleveland CavaliersCleveland CavaliersThe Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
)
See also
- List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season
- List of National Basketball Association players with 60 or more points in a game