Tracy McGrady Reveals He Hated Basketball Growing Up: “I Was Bullied Into Playing…”

Tracy McGrady didn't initially like playing basketball.

3 Min Read

At the absolute peak of his powers, Tracy McGrady was one of the best scorers to ever play the game of basketball. He was well known for his shot creation and athleticism, and if not for injuries, he could have been an MVP-tier player.

Even though he was extremely gifted at the sport, Tracy McGrady revealed that when he was younger, he hated playing basketball. He noted that his “first love” was baseball when it came to sports, adding that he only started playing basketball after being bullied by his cousins.

“I hated basketball. I was bullied into playing basketball… Baseball was my first sport and my first love… My cousins bullied me, called me all kind of names, smacked me on the side my head. I started playing basketball, I actually did well and I liked it.” 

There is no doubt that basketball was ultimately the right choice for Tracy McGrady, as he became a basketball legend. However, it is fair to say that there is a chance that he may have succeeded at professional baseball as well due to his athletic gifts,

Throughout his career, Tracy McGrady averaged 19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 4.4 APG. He had a long and productive career in the league and unfortunate injuries derailed his chance at a championship.


Patrick Beverley Previously Claimed 50% Of NBA Players Don’t Love Basketball

Though a lot of fans assume that every player loves basketball, that isn’t always true. In fact, Patrick Beverley previously claimed that around 50% of players don’t actually love the game.

“50, and I was being nice… Preparation… Watching film… Most teammates I know who don’t love basketball are the really f*cking good ones. Most skilled. Wildest s*** in the world… You have so much skill, it’s free-flowing. The preparation is different when you have so much skill that you can just show up to the game and get a motherf*cking 30. That might work against other teams who aren’t that good, but you can’t do that in the playoffs.” 

There’s no doubt that some players treat basketball like a job, and that is alright as long as they are fulfilling their responsibilities on the court. Ultimately, people can be good at their job without loving their job, and the same goes for NBA players as well.

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The Vy Lee Tran is a Senior Writer for Fadeaway World, specializing in trade scenarios, blockbuster trades, and the NBA salary cap. He graduated from Earlham College with honors and a B. A. in English.He is an avid fan of the NBA as a whole and thinks Stephen Curry is quite easily a top-10 player of all time. In his free time, you can find Lee playing basketball and working on his 3PT jumper. Expertise: NBA, Trade Scenarios, CBA, Salary Cap, Player BreakdownsFavorite Team: New Orleans Pelicans Featured On Sports Illustrated, HoopsHype, Heavy
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