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Big Man, Big Heart - Tracy McGrady [The Electric New Paper]

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Omer, Sep 11, 2006.

  1. Omer

    Omer Member

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    BIG MAN, BIG HEART
    Tracy McGrady, or T-Mac as he is more commonly known, may be one of the NBA's brightest superstars.
    By Al R Dizon
    11 September 2006
    http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/sports/story/0,4136,113311,00.html

    Tracy McGrady, or T-Mac as he is more commonly known, may be one of the NBA's brightest superstars.

    But in Singapore he's still relatively unknown, with basketball fans more enamoured with the likes of Kobe, Shaq and Lebron.

    McGrady, a lifetime endorser of adidas products, told The New Paper in Manila last week he 'discovered sports at an early age'. 'I was a natural athlete,' he said.

    At first, he was drawn to baseball, although he also played basketball.

    He even made his first dunk at age 12, although he didn't take the game seriously until Penny Hardaway joined Orlando Magic in 1993.

    Hardaway quickly became his hero.

    The youngster emulated every part of his game.

    McGrady's game improved as he matured into a dangerous all-round player in high school, averaging 23 points and 12 rebounds a game, and making the big jump to the NBA after graduating at Mount Zion Christian Academy in North Carolina.

    And after an attention-grabbing performance at the Adidas ABCD Camp for high school students, he became the ninth overall draft pick of the Toronto Raptors in 1999.

    The rest is history.

    McGrady would later join the Orlando Magic, and finally Houston Rockets, his current team, where he plays small forward alongside Yao Ming.

    Today, he's a six-time All-Star, made it to the All-NBA Selection five times, was named NBA scoring champion twice, and in 2001 was NBA's Most Improved Player Awardee in a career that spans just nine years.

    'It wasn't easy,' he said. 'I did it the hard way. In order to do great things, you have to take on challenges in your life. I'm doing nothing but taking on different challenges.'

    Could his sporting history be the key? Or, is it his big heart that inspires? Perhaps.

    Take for instance the incident in Guangzhou last week, just before he arrived in Manila.

    McGrady was watching teams from Guangzhou and Manila fighting it out for the adidas Asian Streetball 3-on-3 title. The reward: a trip to Houston to watch the Rockets.

    At the end of regulation time, the two teams were tied at 10-10. In sudden death, Shanghai scored a penalty shot to win the match and the trip.

    'I decided that since both teams played so hard that they should both come to Houston,' he said.

    When he told the Manila team they would also go to Houston because they played very hard, 'they went crazy'.

    IMPRESSED

    'I was really impressed. The Manila guys played with a lot of passion. They fell a little short, but because they played so hard, I did something special for them,' he told The New Paper.

    It was a gesture that won him more fans in basketball-crazy Philippines and China - countries already awash with basketball heroes.

    Applause rocked the Rizal Ballroom of the Makati Shangri-La Hotel after McGrady announced to the media his decision to send the Manila team to Houston.

    Said McGrady: 'I understand how important it is for you to give back once you become a successful athlete. I have become an inspiration to a lot of people, I realise that. And my commitment is to my fans, to make a difference, just to give back.'

    But how about that memorable December night in 2004 when McGrady had to do the impossible after learning the Rockets trailed San Antonio by 12 points, with 33 seconds left in the game?

    'But I did the impossible, scoring 13 points, including the game-winning three-pointer with less than two seconds left, to give us an 81-80 win,' he said.

    'Many times, the game comes down to the final possession, the final shot. That's what happened.

    'That game really made me believe that indeed, impossible is nothing.'

    Then again, it could be his work ethic.

    His personal coach Wayne Hall told The New Paper in Manila: 'He has worked really hard. I've never seen anyone in professional basketball put in more practice time outside normal practice time. And his speedy recovery from his injuries and his rapid return to form are proof of his hard work.'

    McGrady has been suffering from chronic back problems since last November.

    And earlier this year, he again suffered a back injury. He is now busy preparing for the upcoming season.

    'I work on my game daily. Because I'm never satisfied, never going to be,' McGrady said.

    Even on the Asian Tour, he was at it.

    Hall said: 'He runs through a number of drills on court to make sure he is always working on his game.

    'He believes in order to continue to get better, you can't take time off.'

    IMPOSING PRESENCE

    When The New Paper put to him that his imposing presence on the hardcourt may have been manufactured for the media, he said: 'It is really the product of hard work. And it's the same message I'd like to give the young aspiring cagers of Asia: Work hard. I was definitely blessed with talent, but I wouldn't be here if I didn't work hard.'

    For example, his jump shot was nothing to crow about at first. But he has worked extremely hard at accuracy.

    Every year he increased his range and proficiency from beyond the three-point arc.

    And, closer to the hoop, he may attempt a wild shot on occasion, but he has such phenomenal body control that he often cans those shots or draws a whistle - skills that can be attributed to pure hard work.

    And whatever he did in Manila - conducting basketball clinics for underprivileged kids, meeting up with fans, facing a prying media, and partying with young people - his work ethic was his message: 'In order to accomplish something, a person needs to be focused on what he wants and be strong.'

    Says Spencer San Juan, a 19-year-old student who watched a clinic at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym: 'He is a real role model for me and my friends because of his humility and genuine hard work.

    'While other stars prefer the media spotlight, indulge in vice and womanise, he's working on the hardcourt, giving clinics, or just being a good human being.

    'He's right up there, with Magic and Jordan.

    'They're my Trinity.'

    Perhaps, adidas saw all these in T-Mac.

    McGrady said he was flabbergasted when he learned of adidas' offer of a lifetime endorsement contract.

    'I jumped so high my head would've hit an eight-foot ceiling.'
     
  2. univac hal

    univac hal Member

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    Unfortunately, yes - not that there are that many hoops fans here to begin with. I know plenty of people who stopped watching the NBA after Jordan retired. "It's just not the same without MJ".. you'd think the guy invented the game and won 20 straight championships + MVPs or something. Pisses me off, it does :mad:
     
    #2 univac hal, Sep 11, 2006
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2006
  3. Omer

    Omer Member

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    Even more unfortunate, is the fact that thats how some people I know in the US (as in my friends) are about basketball and MJ.
     
  4. univac hal

    univac hal Member

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    That sucks, eh.. I feel you

    How was it you came to be reading The New Paper online anyway? :D
     
  5. Omer

    Omer Member

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    I have a news.google.com news alert set to e-mail me daily with the latest news content including the words "Tracy" and "McGrady" in 'em. :)

    I might do a Rockets one, but then again that will probably send me hundreds of science articles daily.
     
  6. Kyrodis

    Kyrodis Member

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    McGrady said that? I'd imagine it wouldn't be too difficult for McGrady to hit his head on an 8-foot ceiling. He's 6'8" already. He'd only need to get 16 inches off the ground. :confused:
     
  7. Yonkers

    Yonkers Member

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    Yeah, but when was the last time you heard some news that made you jump 16 inches. Never for me :p
     
  8. c1utchfan925

    c1utchfan925 Member

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    i wish i could jump as high as he does.. :p
     
  9. kingkow

    kingkow Member

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    I feel really happy for the manila team, its just liek a dream.
     
  10. Sishir Chang

    Sishir Chang Member

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    How is it anyone outside of Singapore would bother reading The New Paper at all? The New Paper makes Parade Magazine look like The New York Times.
     
  11. univac hal

    univac hal Member

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    LOL, you got that right.. the only thing that rag is good for is extensive (but sophomoric) EPL coverage. But wherever there are tabloids, well, there'll be plenty who love reading them
     
  12. rrj_gamz

    rrj_gamz Member

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    The Thrilla in Manilla...I love that...oh wait, nevermind...
     
  13. Rox Addict

    Rox Addict Member
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    This is why T-Mac is my favorite player...Yes I think he can be the MVP if healthy as he is just so smooth but its what he does off the court. Tracy had to grow up and it looks like he did. I used to hate Sir Charles but when he came to Houston I used to see him at the games playing with kids and now I just love his inteligence as a person same goes for T-Mac..Rock on Mr McGrady....
     

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