Tracy McGrady Considering Baseball Career, Retired NBA Star Training With Roger Clemens
Tracy McGrady is considering a career in baseball, even though he only retired from basketball last summer.
McGrady had a rather successful time on the court during his 16-year career. He played for the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and San Antonio Spurs, and he was voted onto the NBA All-Star team seven times.
However, according to his former Houston Rockets coach, Jeff Van Gundy, McGrady is now looking to move onto brand new sporting pastures, because he is currently training to become a baseball pitcher.
Van Gundy made this revelation on Friday night when he was working as an analyst for NBA on ESPN, after he began discussing McGrady’s 14-game streak with 30 or more points during the 2002-2003 season with his partner Mike Breen.
“Speaking real quickly of McGrady,” he began. “I think he’s going to play independent league baseball as a pitcher this year. In the independent league.”
After noticing that Breen didn’t appear to believe him, Van Gundy continued, “I’m being serious. I’ve heard from sources in Houston – seriously – that he’s throwing over 90 miles per hour. The Sugar Land Skeeters – Roger Clemens pitched for them last year, it was awesome.”
KPRC’s Randy McIlvoy decided to investigate Van Gundy’s remarks himself, and he later confirmed that he was indeed speaking the truth, and added that he was in fact training with Clemens.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, McIlvoy Tweeted:
Sources w/the @SL_Skeeters tell me that Tracy McGrady is eyeing pro baseball as a pitcher. CLocked at 91 MPH. Working out for 2 months.
— Randy McIlvoy (@RandyMcIlvoy) February 1, 2014
I am also told that Tracy McGrady’s workout routine has been 2-3 times/wk throwing & working some w/Roger Clemens. @SL_Skeeters#hounews
— Randy McIlvoy (@RandyMcIlvoy) February 1, 2014
The former basketballer is probably hoping that a serious shoulder injury he suffered just a few years ago, which saw him tear his labrum, won’t hindere his progress.
However, McGrady’s decision to play baseball shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, because back in 2006 he told NBA.com, “I’m going to play baseball at the end of my career. I guess (TNT) took that to mean the end of my contract. But who knows what I’m going to do in four years?”
He even discussed his different pitching techniques, explaining, “I think I’ll be done with this game in my early 30’s. I would be a pitcher. I got a knuckleball, slider, changeup, curve and whatever.” Roger Clemens only played for the Skeeters in 2012, however his son, Koby, is still a catcher for the team.
