December 28, 2023 • 42 mins
Magic legend and Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady joins Dante and George for a trip down memory lane, including what went into his decision to join the Magic, what could have been during his time in Orlando, his favorite teammates, the defenders that made him bring his A-game offensively and what he thinks of the Magic's young core.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hell, Lord, I want to walk up to another edition
of Magic Pod Squad, Dante Marcatelli, George Galante, catch up
with Magic, great Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady lots to
cover with Tea Mac and Magic fans. Of course, remember
the Forida Department of Transportation reminds you that fans don't
let fans drive drunk.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
If you've been drinking, don't get behind the wheel. Instead,
find a sober driver or catch a ride service. Remember,
drive sober or get pulled over. Have a great night
and drive safe. Oh we go all the way back
in the time machine with Temac on his decision to
come to City Beautiful, some great stories and some insights
that Tracy has never told. On his decision to come
(00:40):
to Orlando and at that time joined Grant Hill, Daryl
Armstrong and an up and coming Orlando Magic team. Then
his Hall of Fame career, his big scoring nights, his
mentality on the offensive end here in his time in
Orlando twice leading the league in scoring, Then his Hall
of Fame career that took him to Houston as well,
some of his favorite teammates that he's played with along
(01:01):
the way, and his thoughts on his current Orlando Magic
team and how good the Magic can be this season.
We cover it all with Magic Hall, a favorite team
act on this edition of Magic Pod Squad.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Does his fawns long enough to Orlando Magic.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
This is col Anthony, this is Jennings Suggs. This is
Paulo Man Carroll the Orlando Magic and you're listening to
the Pod Squad.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Welcome to another edition of Orlando Magic Pod Squad. Dante Marcatelli,
George Galante and I. You know we talked about the
last time it doesn't get old for me? Could it
possibly get old for you? Being introduced as Hall of
Famer Tracy McGrady. I loved that.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
That's a you can never get tired, that never gets old. Right.
Hearing that never, I wouldn't think.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
So, No, you don't have them.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
He doesn't get old. It doesn't get old for me
saying it right right.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
He doesn't walk around with the jacket anymore, though, So
that's nice.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
He doesn't.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
I have pictures. I have images of you in my
head of just walking around your house just like with
the jacket and maybe boxer shorts like that. Is that wrong?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Well? First thought is I'm alarmed that you think of
me that way.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
As soon as I said it, I thought to Paul,
but you know.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Last pause that I was just of me walking all
the miles.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
I would wear a kitchen. I would wear it by
the pool. I would wear it like I would wear
it to the bathroom.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
It's hanging up, just hanging up in a frame. Ye,
it's put up in the house, man, And you know
every time I walk in in the house, I see it.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
It's well, let's address the elephant in the room. You
George and I got older and you didn't. Somehow I
have gray in my beard, gray in my hair. How
did you want?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Did you not there? They? They're there the last time, hold.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
On the last time I was here, the beard was fuller.
And it definitely why you had to you had to
pull it back.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Yeah, keep it a little.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
But the hair cut. The hair cuts back to like.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Trying to keep looking man. You know, stay healthy, stand active.
Life's good, Life's been good. You know, been out the game.
What eleven years?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Well, what is life like now? What is day to
day for Tracy McGrady.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Well, kids are older now. I have a daughter at
the U. This is her junior year. Just dropped my
son off at I MG. This is his last year
of high school. So I'm busy with my kids business ventures.
I'm actually on my way to China here in another week.
So just just stand active. You know, business is still good.
(03:35):
Business is booming. Business, Business is booming. You know. I
have a great team around me that you know after
I retired. Man, we just created a brand and we're
building on it.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
Do kids still now? I mean, are you quick to
pull up YouTube videos of yourself?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Like?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Do they do they still have? Do you do you
still get that? Since when when people I mean I
told you when you walked in here, I've seen more
people in the facility now, fact that since the building
is open, it is crazy, Like does do you still
get that around town? Or is that taper off.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
A little bit? I still get it, man, you know,
I've You know what's great is when I play here,
Magic did a great job of the NBA did a
great job of marketing me, like when I was here,
Like I had the number one selling Jersey in other countries,
you know what I'm saying. So that still lives on,
(04:36):
Like even though I've been retired, you know, all this time,
and haven't been in a uniform here in twenty years,
like that still lives on wherever I go abroad, you know,
domestically it doesn't it doesn't matter.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
And that's crazy to think, by the way too, Like
he just said, twenty years years, that means we're all old.
I mean I feel yeah, but twenty does it? That's
weird that you've been gone here for twenty years now.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
It doesn't feel like it, but it's been twenty years. Man.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
You know, since we last talked, we've talked to John
Gabriel and we think about that summer that you came
and Grant came, and we have now learned that Tim
Duncan was almost all almost here as well.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
And.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Where I were sad again, come on, but still what
you were able to do two times scoring champion, you
get to the playoffs two times? I mean, what do
you think of with your four years here? Because you
didn't have there wasn't a ton of luck. You know,
we know about the grand situation and we know Tim
didn't come, but what you were able to do was
so special.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Here's what because you know people always you know, you
didn't get out of the first round. You do do
y'all realize I was the second best player on this
Magic team. That oh I said, people don't understand right, right,
I was the second best player on this team. Grant
here at that time was a better freaking player than
(06:02):
Tracy McGrady. I mean that's not sugar coated. He was
so the fact that, you know, I was a role
player and then came into a situation where the keys
were handed to me due to injury of Grant. I
did what I could, absolutely and at that time, and
it's not like, you know, you you have your best
(06:23):
player that's out. It's not like we could go get
more players because of the saliary cap at that time,
we can't really trade, you know, to get to improve
our team. We were stuck. So what we had, you know,
with the Magic with Grant being out, I mean we
battled and did what we could.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I don't think I've ever asked you what what was
that conversation like between I'm assuming it would be you
and Doc and the coaching staff when when we know
that Grant is out for an extended time, what is
said to you by the by Doc and by the
coaches like to change. I'm sure that we had a
plan going into the season with Grant and you and
(07:05):
Mike on the Mike Miller was a rookie at the
time that first year. What's that conversation like between the
coaches and you behind closed doors?
Speaker 4 (07:14):
It really wasn't a lot said you gotta do more,
you gotta do more, you gotta lead us. So it's
up to you, now, you know what I mean. I
was twenty one years old, right right.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
I forgot about that.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Twenty years old.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
I was ony one.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
That's a lot to take on you.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
I was twenty one years old. I was still learning.
I was still learning. It was a lot that I
was still learning. I haven't been in those situations. Grant
was around, you know, at period and during periods of
the season, but you know, to have him as a
teammate in practice every single day, to play alongside him
(07:55):
every single night, Like I would have learned so much
being around him, absolutely, so my growth would have progressed tremendously.
But not having that, I had to learn on the fly. Yeah,
to learn how to you know, lead a team. I
didn't know. I'm twenty one years old. This is my
first time in this situation. My best player is out.
(08:16):
It's like I wasn't expecting this, but it was a
challenge and I relished the challenge.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
And I do think sometimes about how like how much
better you both would like Grant Hill would have gotten
better or no question playing with you if you because
you both were very unselfish, you know, even though you
know you were forced to take on a selfish role
with that team because we really didn't have any other score.
But your first instinct was not to go score when
(08:42):
you first got to the match, you know, and your
whole dynamic change about that. But Grant would have been
a better player too, because Grant never had the opportunity
to play with somebody like you.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
No, that is, there is not a shadow of doubt
in my mind. We would have played for a championship,
no question, would for a championship here because you did
have great role players too, great role player if you
had that one two punts, yes.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
And the team was built around both of yes, Justice, it.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Wasn't built around one person. It was built around both
of us. And man, we would have been so good, so.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Good and still gave so many great memories people have
to remember. And I think one O two oh three
the question wasn't for several years we just start a
team with Kobe or Tracy. Right, you know, we just
had we just had Kobe's birthday last week, right, so
it kind of was circling around again. But right, remember
we lived at that that was absolutely right. And Kobe
himself said, Tracy, you did things that he couldn't write.
(09:39):
I mean, that was that was That was the conversation.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
That was the conversation. And you know, Covid and I
had a good relationship back then, you know, our earlier
years in our career. And at that time of that conversation,
you know, he was competing for championships and and I
was just trying to you know, make a name for myself,
(10:05):
trying to lead my team, and individually I was going
for that scoring title. I was going for the scoring title.
So I had to play for something, right. I knew
I couldn't compete for a championship like him, but he
was also competing for that scoring title. Because I don't
know if you guys remember, I think the year I
averaged thirty two during that season. Later on that season,
(10:29):
Kobe had nine straight forty point games that year. That
was that year, remember that.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I don't think he didn't do the math before.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
And for me, that was the motivation and the end
game game play that I you know, that's what fewed
me to keep going. And coach coach Johnny Davis, he
always reminded me every single day, don't let him catch
your team, catch your team. We see him. I was like,
I do see him, and I see him and I
know he sees me. But that's that's what kept me
(11:02):
motivated from an individual prospective to keep going and and
and accomplish that. But I wasn't competing for no championship
at the time.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
What were something you could always tell when when you know,
when we played the two games against the Lakers the
year that you would take your your game would tick
up a little bit in your What were the other
games that got you because you could definitely tell there
were certain opponents that like we would step on the
floor and you'd look and you go, Max got something
going a little extra. You know, it's not just Washington
(11:34):
on a Tuesday, like you know.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
So Washington. I don't know what it was with Washington.
It's like every time I saw Washington, it was like
I had something that like a person.
Speaker 5 (11:46):
I said, I should have picked a different team and another fifty.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
Yeah, for sure. But the one team in person that
you're speaking of was New Jersey and nobody, no, no
one knows this. We were playing in New Jersey. I
think this is when we had Horse Grant on the
team and I went up for a pump fake. Kenya
(12:11):
Martin jumped up and when he came down, he came
down with force like this on top of my head
and we got into a scuffle. It was a dirty move.
From that point on, I made it a personal thing
between me and Kenya Martin and he doesn't even know
this that it's great. When I seen Keny Martin, I
(12:32):
was about business. It was a different focus like it.
It was like Kobe's on the other side, like I'm
locked in like that because I'm gonna let you know
you ain't gonna get away with that, bro.
Speaker 5 (12:43):
I'm gonna go back and look at the new games
now that it is like I would think about. The
first couple of teams that I thought about were the Lakers.
For one, Milwaukee, you always ended up bringing something because
of that first playoff series we played against them.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Nah, I tell you it's even deeper than that.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
I thought you Aaron Williams All this time.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
No, no, so Milwaukee and Milwaukee was a personal one too.
Milwaukee when I first got here, do you know the
magic was like zho to ten against Milwaukee.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Oh yeah, that's right Street.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Long losing street. So to me, I took a pawn,
were about to end that. And then the big Dog,
the playoff, the big dog thing that added more fewl
to it to the rivalry because every time I seen it,
I wanted to destroy them every single time. And I
think it was one season where I averaged like forty
four against him during this season.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Sure did Yeah, no, you sure did you. But what
is it about the greats that can get to that
next level that can say I be it that night
or I can you you have to We heard it
with the last dance with Michael. You had to find
something in you to a little extra motivation night in
the night out.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Not everybody can do that.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
It's uh. I think it's just it's preparation. It's how
we train, It's how I trained, and like man, when
you train like I trained, going three times a day, like,
it's building your mental for you to be prepared for
anything that comes at you during the season. But more importantly,
(14:24):
It prepares you for the challenge, right, whatever that challenge is,
whether it's a player, whether it's defenses, whatever it is,
I'm prepared for that challenge because of how I work.
So you know, when I can attach a personal situation today, No, yeah,
(14:48):
on top of that, it's a different type of focus
that I could get to and I just lock in
and nothing else really matters, because that's what my mind
is really set on, is to destroy that.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
So was there anybody else to like I never knew this.
I kind of like you said, you knew about the
losing streak to the I wouldn't have taken you for
somebody that looked at that or studied that or or so. Yes,
once were there other things.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
When that was told to me? Yeah, I didn't tell nobody.
But you know when it was told to me, like
we were zero to ten against Milwaukee, it was it
gave me something to you know, destroy, like I was
going to change that personally for me, I was going
to change that. I didn't tell nobody about what I
(15:41):
had in mind or you know why this why I
felt this way about like I had no conversations about that.
That was just my internal competitive nature, competitive spirit, that
I wanted to destroy what was you know, uh that
challenge and that was in and sure enough we did that.
(16:03):
Is there anything else? Yeah? You know when I hear
somebody is a great defender, Bruce Boyne run our test
like those type of dudes, I'm.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
That's yeah, yeah, I'm take that personal.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Yeah, I take I take that personal. Approve the point.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
I just want to that I normally don't do any
any research for podcasts, pod squads, nothing, I do none.
I did one research because I knew Tracy was coming today.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
With the Magic.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
I'm probably the guy that told him we lost ten
straight to the Bucks. Probably probably probably, yeah, because I
know how it went that night. I told you, you
know your a few points short of sixty. You got
pissed off at me. But that's okay, all right. So
Tracy McGrady with the Magic in his career, okay, So
that's four seasons with the Magic, thirty thirty forty point
(16:54):
games in four seasons. In two oh three alone, the
year you averaged thirty two. Okay, you had eleven eleven
forty point games in one season. Since Tracy has left
in four the Magic franchise has had twelve forty point
games by sixtyffers. So you had eleven you had in season,
(17:20):
you had eleven in the one season in two o three,
and since you left in four, the Magic as a
whole have had twelve. And that just like when you're
with us and you're doing it every night. And also like,
I mean, I'm pretty I was pretty young, right, and
I'm just yes, like you're numb to the fact that well,
like we're rolling out and I know Tracy's going to
(17:41):
score thirty five, Like it just didn't. It didn't register.
How amazing. Like the numbers and they're stupid numbers too,
they're like video game numbers.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Like you know, one thing I noticed about about you
and Glassy knew my game. You knew when I when
I was coming down to the court. You knew when
I was about to pull out Dan.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Yes, yes, And I knew when it was going in yes, yes,
for sure.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Oh absolutely, especially end of games and certain situations. You
knew when you had the ball in your hands on those.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Nights that you had it going give me one more
because I but real quick to it.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
But there were times when you might not have driven
to the arena being mad at Kenyan Martin right that
that wasn't going to happen every game but for me.
And this is when, because I was around the court
and I was doing the sidelines. Then there were moments
within the game. Okay, guys, watch it. Somebody just said
something to Tracy. Okay, somebody gave him an elbow, somebody.
There were moments within the game that all of a sudden,
(18:43):
you would flip a switch.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
That happened one night. I remember specifically. We were playing
Seattle and I was going off. Seattle was tough. You know,
you had real and I think it was Richardo Lewis
was at that time, so I think it was.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
But anyways, in the camera, but Eli and Willcox were
close lining people every time he came.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
From Verdanovich, I think that's anyways, it was Desmond Mason, Desmond,
the kid that Mason could jump. I was given him
a business. He started yapping and trying to get physical,
and he elbowed me one time. This is what you
were speaking of. He elbowed me one time when I
(19:35):
went up for a rebound. He kind of gave me
a cheap shot. Oh my goodness.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Now we got to look up this game.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
What did you do to them? Man, I think I
finished with forty that night at home. And I remember
one play. It was on in front of their bench,
but on the opposite wing, and it was just we
just got into it and I had the ball and
I was sizing him up. I didn't even take a dribble,
(20:05):
just sizing him up in triple threat, and I shot
the ball and went in and I turned around to
the crowd and I was talking crazy to the crowd,
like it just wrapped me up and took me to
a whole another level that that was just that was
in it.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Did anybody ever tell you like, but you kind of
had this demeanor on the court. I don't want to
like like I call it like sleepy, like right like
you were like because like everything would come so easy
to you. Did anybody ever have to tell you to like,
did anybody have a conversation with you, like listen, like
you need to change that? Because I know we've had
some other players where they've been told like, all right,
(20:42):
like you do this too much? Do they like if
you if you switch this? But that wasn't you. But
you still were well, you still had that focus, even
though maybe outwardly it didn't look like Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
At times it was said that I looked like I
wasn't trying. But if you're in front of me, if
you guarding me, it was a different story. Like I
was probably one of the quickest players out there.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Right well, if you're averaging damn thirty, you have to play.
It doesn't It doesn't just happen.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
It looks like he's not trying. No, it's because I've
bust my ass in the off season. I go extremely hard,
so whin them in the games, the games are easy
to me. I don't have to go that speed because
everything has slowed down for me right now. I wasn't
always like that. Like in Toronto, I had to play hard.
I was playing hard because I didn't know the game,
(21:32):
you know, I was trying to figure it out, and
it was a different type of role. But once I
got to the point where okay, I was in a
different role and I'm working a certain way on my
individual skills, and the game has slowed down for me.
I don't have to go full speed, but I am
moving fast.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
When did this step for you, though? When when did
that flip for you?
Speaker 4 (21:54):
My second year here? I was good my first year.
I mean I think I averaged like twenty six or
twenty seven first year or something like that, which was crazy.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
But it wasn't.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
But things really slowed down my second year. Third year here,
I felt like I was the best on a planet
right right, that that t mac was a it was
a whole nother beast, just like I was seeing things.
I felt, my body I got it was like the
perfect year of training and just everything was just it
(22:31):
was it clicked. It's like I'm here now, right, and
it was just the house was in order.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
You get a lot of credit for those four years,
and you should, But how much credit in the back
of your mind do you give to the Darryls the
Pat Garrity's, Because those guys gave you everything they had.
They gave everything for the city, for the team, and
they tried to keep anything you needed. They to the
best of their ability, they gave it.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
That's really one of the reasons why I came here.
You know. I think the year before I got here,
the slogan for the Magic was like heart and hustle, yes, right,
and they personified that every single night. That like that
was a fun team to watch, although you had to
trade half of the team Unfortunately five guys all of
(23:19):
that team, Ben Wallace, cor and those guys like man,
they all gone. It would have been nice to keep
some of those guys, right.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
We had to pay this guy.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
But I look at I gotta get my money, give
me my but Pat Garty, Doleac, Andrew de Clerk, d A.
Like that was such a fun group, you know what
I mean, Like such a fun competitive group to be around.
We wasn't the most talented team. But when you talk
(23:52):
about getting everything out of your players and them giving
you everything, that's what they did. That's what did it.
Because if you look at our team, I averaged twenty
seven ports. I was pretty damn good. I was, but
we wasn't the most talented team out there. Man. It's like,
and even Doc told me one time, it's like you
(24:13):
just don't even understand. He's like, I have I go
out to dinner and I'll be having people come to
me all the time asking how are you doing it? Doc?
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Do you know you've got teams with three superstars. You've
got these mega teams that don't make the playoffs, and
I think that's two postseason appearances with really you could
and again, great role players but everybody was keying in
on him and just still be able to get to
the playoffs I think was remarkable.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Yeah, well it was three out of four years, that's right.
We have Charlotte, Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Detroit.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
That's right, three four years yea, where most people wouldn't
have been able to even do that. So I always
thought the second round stuff was bogus anyway, most people
couldn't have even made it, but you made it, and
I thought that was read.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
You think about this as great as Steph Curry is right,
they had won a championship. I think he has like
a championship under his belt, maybe two. Draymond Green or
Klay Thompson. One of those guys missed the whole season.
I think it was Klay Thompson. They didn't make the playoffs.
(25:20):
They didn't make the playoffs. Draymond was there, Andrew Wiggins
was there. This is Steph Curry were talking about. They
didn't make the playoff. It's hard when one of your
guys is out and you got to compete with these
guys that are built up for, you know, to win
and have their their best players playing. Man. It's listen, man,
(25:44):
this is the NBA. Man, this this is tough. We
need all of your troops out there, especially your best players.
So again, I was the second best player on my team.
We missed Grant for four years.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
And you know what's that that Piston series that was
the first year they went back to seven best of seven.
Had it been the whole history of the NBA up
to that, you'd already been in the second row. It
was great. That was the very first year that they switched.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
That was even that team, like that team won a
championship the next year exactly, they won a freaking championship
the next year. Man, they went what six straight years
Eastern Conference champions six? We had them on the ropes you.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Did, now, I know. It was some great basketball, some
great times that was.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
That was a great time.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
And you played against Michael, Kobe and Lebron Yeah right,
I mean something you talk about something to tell your kids?
Do you have Do you relive any of this with them?
What you do? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (26:48):
All the time, all the time, man, just just talking
about you know, just how competitive those games are and
the moments, you know what I mean. And it's when
you when you have kids that love the game and
play the game and then they can see it through
(27:09):
your lens and you give them those experience in those moments.
You know, that's the motivation for them. Right. And my
boys when they when I sit down and tell them
about some of those stories, like you can see it
in their their face that.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
How do you do it? Do you make a drink?
Put on it?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Like different lights?
Speaker 5 (27:27):
Like how do how do you take the jacket off
the wall and put it on? Before you tell them?
Speaker 3 (27:31):
What's what's the mood?
Speaker 4 (27:34):
It's like around dinner time. You know, it's it's around
dinner time because you know my kids, the kids are
doing their own thing and with sports, so when we
have dinner, it's a time to everybody come together, you
know from a long days of work and we just
sit down and and and catch up and reminisce and
have those discussions and it's just it's it's fun.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
You Like, my kids look at me like you don't
know what you're talking about. That that's how my kids
look at me. Listen, maybe I'm parenting wrong.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
Is what you're what you're getting at, No, Listen. I
had to have some conversations with some of my my peers,
like yo, when you your kids don't want you to train, like,
they don't listen to you when you tell them something on.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
The basketball A lot better now, Okay.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
It took forever for my son to allow me to
train him without him fussing.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Isn't that something?
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Man? You hear that a lot analyzed? You know. It's
just they can't separate it, Dad, hall of fame. They
don't care about hall of fame. You're my dad, You're
my dad. And it's just some kids are like that.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
And your oldest is playing now, does he does he
enjoy it? Does he does he want to keep playing?
Speaker 4 (28:48):
He enjoys it, you know. He he's always, since two
three years old, had a basketball in his hand. Even
now he has this little mini hoop in his in
his room. And I'll be in the kitchen. I can
hear him shooting in his in his room and on
his little mini hoop so much so that he took
(29:09):
it to his boarding school at IMG. Like. He loves
the game, you know, And I don't know what the
silling is for him, but as long as he loves
the game and you know, work extremely hard to be
the best version of him, and wherever that takes him,
I'm happy with it.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
So this is your first time in the in the
new Advent Health Training Center. What are your thoughts? I mean,
I know you probably haven't seen the whole building yet, but.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
So why are you asking me that question? Man?
Speaker 5 (29:39):
Because I would think you because I would think you
walk inside and you just can kind of get a
glimpse of of what this place is.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
Well, I tell you it's not r d V.
Speaker 5 (29:49):
No, it's not.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
Stas art at the time I missed d I missed
r DV. Boy, I have some great practices up. No,
this is this is I haven't seen everything, but this
is pretty dope. You know. It feels comfortable, you know,
and it's right in the heart of downtown. You don't
have to drive way out there too. Was that out
(30:15):
of mind we were at Yeah, Maitland. It's cool. Practice
courts is beautiful. I love the views from coaches office.
This is this is an upgrade heading in the right direction. Baby,
there you go.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Do you watch much of this team? What can you
tell us about Paolo Franz. There's an excitement brewing here
in central Florida about these two guys in the team
in general.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
Yeah, it should be because Polo is is a super
talent that can be a perennial All Star in this league,
great size. I think the one thing with him is
he wants it, you know, And I think you know,
when you have a guy that really wants it and
(30:59):
puts in that world can have a different type, have
a focus that will allow him to gradually progress as
a basketball player, that's what you want. And then you
know the support that he has around here, you know,
coach Moe and and and the coaching staff and allowing
these guys to be who they are as basketball players,
allowing Markel to come into his own Like people forget
(31:21):
that kid was the number one draft pick for a reason.
He could freaking play right. So I love the team.
I love the direction that they're heading. I felt like
they turned the corner last year was something different about them.
I love how they finished the season and hopefully that
can translate into the beginning of this season. But we
(31:44):
were in the Wizardes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was. It was.
It was. It was some rough it was some rough goings.
But I think this is a team that could be
on the verge of, you know, making the playoffs this year.
And I I think they could this year Polo, he's
I mean, rookie year average, what twenty points? I think
(32:04):
that should go up about another two or three points
this year. The younger guys gonna be good. I hope
Isaac is healthy and ready to man. If he's healthy,
it can stay healthy. In Franz and Markel and Anthony Man,
they got some good pieces. They got some really.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
Big Markel fans. Why and I know you have I
know you have an infinity for his game. What is
it about him can help?
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Well? First, the story, Yeah, absolutely, you know what I mean,
the story along because he was with me before he
got drafted. We did a piece together at my house.
I don't think if you guys don't know that he
was at my house.
Speaker 5 (32:45):
Yeah, I'll take when it comes out.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
No, No, this was like before he got drafted, Before
he got draft, we did a piece at my house,
and I just I noticed how calm confident he was
as a basketball player, Like he had all of you know,
these goals set for himself as a rookie and none
(33:09):
of that happened for him. And then he went through,
you know, just a bad period in his career and
to get back to a level of confidence where he
can actually help a franchise. Is to me just a
testament of number one that this kid he really wants it.
(33:29):
He has a great supporting cast around it, because it's
hard to have that level of a confidence and be
on top of your game, to lose that, yep, and
then to get that back up that doesn't really that
doesn't happen for a lot of guys. That is tough.
So it's a testament that this kid is mentally strong
and prepared for whatever. So I'm happy for him and hopefully,
(33:51):
you know, he does well this year, which I feel
he will.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Yeah, no, I agree, I think that's well said. Who
do you enjoy watching in the league? Are there guys
that you watch? Sure anybody say, man, I wish I
could have had a go against him, or.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
I mean it's not any you know, specific players. There's
a lot of good guy, good players out there. I'm
gonna tell you, I love I love Joker, right, I
love Joker. I think Joker is just like the perfect
basketball player. Although he can't jump right, he slows my glasses,
(34:26):
but he's so freaking good man, He's so good. He's
such a cerebral basketball player, makes the right place unbelievable passer.
He is one of those guys like, Okay, what is
the game giving me tonight? Oh? You need me to
score forty? All right, I'm gonna go get you forty.
(34:47):
You need me to score forty and tennis is okay,
I gotta get forty and I gotta get ten or
I just you know, I don't need to score forty tonight.
Jamal Murray has it going, Porter has it going. Just
settle for like fifteen assists and have like twenty points.
He is amazing. Man, He's amazing. I love everybody better
(35:09):
for sure. My mind goes to, how is that guy
the forty first pick? How does forty picks go before
that guy gets just couldn't really tell what he could
do over it. I mean, there are some bad there
are some bad you know, evaluating going on in this league.
I'm just I'm be honest with you. I mean, it's
been over the years, top two, top three four picks
(35:31):
of the NBA and these guys two years and you
don't even see them no more.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
Right, it can be. It can be frustrating. So yeah,
well tell us about the Ones Ones Basketball League.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
So we want we got a.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Schedule coming out. Do we know what the plan is
moving forward? In the success last year? That was a
lot of fun to watch.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
It was a lot of fun, and I'm happy for
a lot of the guys, man, because this is a
platform that is needed. You know, everybody can't play in
the NBA. Only have four hundred and fifty players in
our league. But you know, this is a platform to
create stars that love the game of basketball, and its
(36:10):
just a different form of basketball. It's one on one
when you look at UFC, right, UFC first started off
as a gimmick sport, but now it's it's real, it's raw,
it's authentic, and it's a platform that has created stars.
But if you look at where these guys come from,
(36:30):
we don't know that background, we don't know you know,
what college they went to, but they were somebody. It
was just a platform that now we know who they are. Right,
they're created these stars. Why can't OBL be the UFC
of basketball. It's the same exact thing. These names. These
guys played college basketball. These guys love the game, they
have passion for it, they have a unique skill set
(36:54):
and I just have created a platform to give them
the opportunity to show everybody who they are. They don't
know them, but they're gonna know these guys. And I
think the storytelling and it is to me is one
of the is the biggest things. So they have extremely
compelling stories that we should learn and know about.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
And what can you tell everybody about how they can
follow you?
Speaker 4 (37:16):
And yeah, so ob yeah, I mean, we have all
our social channels. Obl's one basketball league. We just dropped
our documentary on Showtime. It's on Paramount Plus. It's a
four part series. It gives you more information about our
league and what we were able to accomplish last year.
So it's like, you know, you're American Idol. We go
(37:37):
to these different cities, right, and we start out I
vet every player that place. So Saturday, we start out
with thirty two players, right, and then all of these
guys are playing seven games. We're gonna take the best
records from eight players. Right. The top eight players from
that Saturday is gonna move and play for our showcase Sunday,
(38:00):
single elimination and in that region, whoever the top guy is,
we give him ten thousand. He will win ten thousand dollars.
The top three guys would get the automatic invite to
our championship, which we had in Vegas. So we do
that in each city, right, So we take those those
top three guys. We had the championship in Vegas, and
our ultimate prize is two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
And life changing for whoever comes out of it.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
No, this is a great story. So the guy that
wanted is from Houston. He flew when we had Houston
was our first region. He flew in from Romania. Friday night,
registered Saturday morning, played Saturday seven games, didn't lose, played Sunday,
(38:46):
won the whole thing, didn't lose, went to Vegas obviously,
won the whole thing, won two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
So I was having a conversation with him and we
were talking. He was like, yeah, man, I just finally
moved out of mind. He's like, because he was just
so appreciated, like Mac Man, thank you bro. He's like,
I've been staying with my parents all this time. I
(39:07):
come back from Romania and I just go and stay
with my parents because you know, I'm Overseas more time
than I am home. He's like, man, I just bought
my first place. Man. He was like I appreciate you.
He's like I was coming home to he named the neighborhood.
I said, Bro, that's right across the street from me.
This whole time, this dude grew up and stayed right
(39:28):
across the street from where I live. Right now, you
didn't I didn't know that. I didn't know that. I
didn't know that, man. And yeah, so he moved out,
he got a G League invite, and now he's playing overseas.
Speaker 5 (39:43):
Amazing, that's amazing. I just wouldn't watch that at All
Star weekend. A little one on one absolutely.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
So of course if I'm starting the Basketball League, I
want to go in and I want to let the
NBA know what I'm doing. So I had conversations with
them and I'm trying to push that for the weekend.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
How good would that be?
Speaker 3 (40:03):
Well, I think, and I think it takes it another level.
And I think you get some of these guys in
the league. Now you get big money behind whoever going
one on one.
Speaker 4 (40:11):
Well, here's the deal. They used to do that, right,
But here, here's here's my thing though here and this
gets be a great marketing tool for the NBA. So
no one really cares about other than the players on
the team and an organization. But as far as fans,
you don't really care about the eleventh and twelfth man,
(40:33):
Like you don't even know who these guys are, right
A lot of times a lot of times, a lot
of times you just don't know who these guys are.
But when you look at the league, we have thirty teams.
They're not thirty superstars in our league. They're not stars
thirty superstars to feel each team. And then you're talking
about adding two more teams the Vegas, right, So you're
(40:54):
adding two more teams a way to create stars or
at least half fans know about your eleventh and twelfth guys.
Do the one on one tournament. These guys will get
in that tournament and after it, they will get good
after it, and fans will now attach themselves to these guys.
(41:15):
That's a part of this All Star weekend. They'll know
who these guys are and you could set marketing these
guys like that's that's a really good way for you, know,
you to market your guys that are eleventh and twelfth
and on an NBA love that.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
I think that's a great idea, great potential for sure.
Is that why you can't do TV. You don't have time.
How are you not doing television somewhere for something I don't.
Speaker 4 (41:36):
I don't have time.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
You don't any interests, no interest in no time.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
You did it already I have. You know, maybe if
I moved to Florida, come down here and do something
with you guys.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Yes, door's always open.
Speaker 5 (41:49):
But sign you right now.
Speaker 3 (41:53):
Your cousin did it last year, so Vince, you know
you only get a few more years and you're gonna
have another Hall of Famer in the family.
Speaker 4 (41:59):
Yeah, you can't. I'm excited for.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Him, right, I mean that's great, good, good good. Well, Hey,
we could do this all day. But thank you so
much for taking time.
Speaker 5 (42:06):
Aren't things better when Tracy's here? Yes, like things are
just better when Tracy's People in the.
Speaker 3 (42:11):
Building that didn't still work.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
By the way, all those people have be gone tomorrow.
I won't I won't see them again for another three stories.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
All right, Tracy, we appreciate it. That'll do it for
this edition of Magic Pod Squad.
Hell, Lord, I want to walk up to another edition
of Magic Pod Squad, Dante Marcatelli, George Galante, catch up
with Magic, great Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady lots to
cover with Tea Mac and Magic fans. Of course, remember
the Forida Department of Transportation reminds you that fans don't
let fans drive drunk.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
If you've been drinking, don't get behind the wheel. Instead,
find a sober driver or catch a ride service. Remember,
drive sober or get pulled over. Have a great night
and drive safe. Oh we go all the way back
in the time machine with Temac on his decision to
come to City Beautiful, some great stories and some insights
that Tracy has never told. On his decision to come
(00:40):
to Orlando and at that time joined Grant Hill, Daryl
Armstrong and an up and coming Orlando Magic team. Then
his Hall of Fame career, his big scoring nights, his
mentality on the offensive end here in his time in
Orlando twice leading the league in scoring, Then his Hall
of Fame career that took him to Houston as well,
some of his favorite teammates that he's played with along
(01:01):
the way, and his thoughts on his current Orlando Magic
team and how good the Magic can be this season.
We cover it all with Magic Hall, a favorite team
act on this edition of Magic Pod Squad.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Does his fawns long enough to Orlando Magic.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
This is col Anthony, this is Jennings Suggs. This is
Paulo Man Carroll the Orlando Magic and you're listening to
the Pod Squad.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Welcome to another edition of Orlando Magic Pod Squad. Dante Marcatelli,
George Galante and I. You know we talked about the
last time it doesn't get old for me? Could it
possibly get old for you? Being introduced as Hall of
Famer Tracy McGrady. I loved that.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
That's a you can never get tired, that never gets old. Right.
Hearing that never, I wouldn't think.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
So, No, you don't have them.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
He doesn't get old. It doesn't get old for me
saying it right right.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
He doesn't walk around with the jacket anymore, though, So
that's nice.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
He doesn't.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
I have pictures. I have images of you in my
head of just walking around your house just like with
the jacket and maybe boxer shorts like that. Is that wrong?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Well? First thought is I'm alarmed that you think of
me that way.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
As soon as I said it, I thought to Paul,
but you know.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Last pause that I was just of me walking all
the miles.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
I would wear a kitchen. I would wear it by
the pool. I would wear it like I would wear
it to the bathroom.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
It's hanging up, just hanging up in a frame. Ye,
it's put up in the house, man, And you know
every time I walk in in the house, I see it.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
It's well, let's address the elephant in the room. You
George and I got older and you didn't. Somehow I
have gray in my beard, gray in my hair. How
did you want?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Did you not there? They? They're there the last time, hold.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
On the last time I was here, the beard was fuller.
And it definitely why you had to you had to
pull it back.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Yeah, keep it a little.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
But the hair cut. The hair cuts back to like.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Trying to keep looking man. You know, stay healthy, stand active.
Life's good, Life's been good. You know, been out the game.
What eleven years?
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Well, what is life like now? What is day to
day for Tracy McGrady.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Well, kids are older now. I have a daughter at
the U. This is her junior year. Just dropped my
son off at I MG. This is his last year
of high school. So I'm busy with my kids business ventures.
I'm actually on my way to China here in another week.
So just just stand active. You know, business is still good.
(03:35):
Business is booming. Business, Business is booming. You know. I
have a great team around me that you know after
I retired. Man, we just created a brand and we're
building on it.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
Do kids still now? I mean, are you quick to
pull up YouTube videos of yourself?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Like?
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Do they do they still have? Do you do you
still get that? Since when when people I mean I
told you when you walked in here, I've seen more
people in the facility now, fact that since the building
is open, it is crazy, Like does do you still
get that around town? Or is that taper off.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
A little bit? I still get it, man, you know,
I've You know what's great is when I play here,
Magic did a great job of the NBA did a
great job of marketing me, like when I was here,
Like I had the number one selling Jersey in other countries,
you know what I'm saying. So that still lives on,
(04:36):
Like even though I've been retired, you know, all this time,
and haven't been in a uniform here in twenty years,
like that still lives on wherever I go abroad, you know,
domestically it doesn't it doesn't matter.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
And that's crazy to think, by the way too, Like
he just said, twenty years years, that means we're all old.
I mean I feel yeah, but twenty does it? That's
weird that you've been gone here for twenty years now.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
It doesn't feel like it, but it's been twenty years. Man.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
You know, since we last talked, we've talked to John
Gabriel and we think about that summer that you came
and Grant came, and we have now learned that Tim
Duncan was almost all almost here as well.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
And.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Where I were sad again, come on, but still what
you were able to do two times scoring champion, you
get to the playoffs two times? I mean, what do
you think of with your four years here? Because you
didn't have there wasn't a ton of luck. You know,
we know about the grand situation and we know Tim
didn't come, but what you were able to do was
so special.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Here's what because you know people always you know, you
didn't get out of the first round. You do do
y'all realize I was the second best player on this
Magic team. That oh I said, people don't understand right, right,
I was the second best player on this team. Grant
here at that time was a better freaking player than
(06:02):
Tracy McGrady. I mean that's not sugar coated. He was
so the fact that, you know, I was a role
player and then came into a situation where the keys
were handed to me due to injury of Grant. I
did what I could, absolutely and at that time, and
it's not like, you know, you you have your best
(06:23):
player that's out. It's not like we could go get
more players because of the saliary cap at that time,
we can't really trade, you know, to get to improve
our team. We were stuck. So what we had, you know,
with the Magic with Grant being out, I mean we
battled and did what we could.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I don't think I've ever asked you what what was
that conversation like between I'm assuming it would be you
and Doc and the coaching staff when when we know
that Grant is out for an extended time, what is
said to you by the by Doc and by the
coaches like to change. I'm sure that we had a
plan going into the season with Grant and you and
(07:05):
Mike on the Mike Miller was a rookie at the
time that first year. What's that conversation like between the
coaches and you behind closed doors?
Speaker 4 (07:14):
It really wasn't a lot said you gotta do more,
you gotta do more, you gotta lead us. So it's
up to you, now, you know what I mean. I
was twenty one years old, right right.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
I forgot about that.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Twenty years old.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
I was ony one.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
That's a lot to take on you.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
I was twenty one years old. I was still learning.
I was still learning. It was a lot that I
was still learning. I haven't been in those situations. Grant
was around, you know, at period and during periods of
the season, but you know, to have him as a
teammate in practice every single day, to play alongside him
(07:55):
every single night, Like I would have learned so much
being around him, absolutely, so my growth would have progressed tremendously.
But not having that, I had to learn on the fly. Yeah,
to learn how to you know, lead a team. I
didn't know. I'm twenty one years old. This is my
first time in this situation. My best player is out.
(08:16):
It's like I wasn't expecting this, but it was a
challenge and I relished the challenge.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
And I do think sometimes about how like how much
better you both would like Grant Hill would have gotten
better or no question playing with you if you because
you both were very unselfish, you know, even though you
know you were forced to take on a selfish role
with that team because we really didn't have any other score.
But your first instinct was not to go score when
(08:42):
you first got to the match, you know, and your
whole dynamic change about that. But Grant would have been
a better player too, because Grant never had the opportunity
to play with somebody like you.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
No, that is, there is not a shadow of doubt
in my mind. We would have played for a championship,
no question, would for a championship here because you did
have great role players too, great role player if you
had that one two punts, yes.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
And the team was built around both of yes, Justice, it.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Wasn't built around one person. It was built around both
of us. And man, we would have been so good, so.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Good and still gave so many great memories people have
to remember. And I think one O two oh three
the question wasn't for several years we just start a
team with Kobe or Tracy. Right, you know, we just
had we just had Kobe's birthday last week, right, so
it kind of was circling around again. But right, remember
we lived at that that was absolutely right. And Kobe
himself said, Tracy, you did things that he couldn't write.
(09:39):
I mean, that was that was That was the conversation.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
That was the conversation. And you know, Covid and I
had a good relationship back then, you know, our earlier
years in our career. And at that time of that conversation,
you know, he was competing for championships and and I
was just trying to you know, make a name for myself,
(10:05):
trying to lead my team, and individually I was going
for that scoring title. I was going for the scoring title.
So I had to play for something, right. I knew
I couldn't compete for a championship like him, but he
was also competing for that scoring title. Because I don't
know if you guys remember, I think the year I
averaged thirty two during that season. Later on that season,
(10:29):
Kobe had nine straight forty point games that year. That
was that year, remember that.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I don't think he didn't do the math before.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
And for me, that was the motivation and the end
game game play that I you know, that's what fewed
me to keep going. And coach coach Johnny Davis, he
always reminded me every single day, don't let him catch
your team, catch your team. We see him. I was like,
I do see him, and I see him and I
know he sees me. But that's that's what kept me
(11:02):
motivated from an individual prospective to keep going and and
and accomplish that. But I wasn't competing for no championship
at the time.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
What were something you could always tell when when you know,
when we played the two games against the Lakers the
year that you would take your your game would tick
up a little bit in your What were the other
games that got you because you could definitely tell there
were certain opponents that like we would step on the
floor and you'd look and you go, Max got something
going a little extra. You know, it's not just Washington
(11:34):
on a Tuesday, like you know.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
So Washington. I don't know what it was with Washington.
It's like every time I saw Washington, it was like
I had something that like a person.
Speaker 5 (11:46):
I said, I should have picked a different team and another fifty.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
Yeah, for sure. But the one team in person that
you're speaking of was New Jersey and nobody, no, no
one knows this. We were playing in New Jersey. I
think this is when we had Horse Grant on the
team and I went up for a pump fake. Kenya
(12:11):
Martin jumped up and when he came down, he came
down with force like this on top of my head
and we got into a scuffle. It was a dirty move.
From that point on, I made it a personal thing
between me and Kenya Martin and he doesn't even know
this that it's great. When I seen Keny Martin, I
(12:32):
was about business. It was a different focus like it.
It was like Kobe's on the other side, like I'm
locked in like that because I'm gonna let you know
you ain't gonna get away with that, bro.
Speaker 5 (12:43):
I'm gonna go back and look at the new games
now that it is like I would think about. The
first couple of teams that I thought about were the Lakers.
For one, Milwaukee, you always ended up bringing something because
of that first playoff series we played against them.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Nah, I tell you it's even deeper than that.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
I thought you Aaron Williams All this time.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
No, no, so Milwaukee and Milwaukee was a personal one too.
Milwaukee when I first got here, do you know the
magic was like zho to ten against Milwaukee.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Oh yeah, that's right Street.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Long losing street. So to me, I took a pawn,
were about to end that. And then the big Dog,
the playoff, the big dog thing that added more fewl
to it to the rivalry because every time I seen it,
I wanted to destroy them every single time. And I
think it was one season where I averaged like forty
four against him during this season.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Sure did Yeah, no, you sure did you. But what
is it about the greats that can get to that
next level that can say I be it that night
or I can you you have to We heard it
with the last dance with Michael. You had to find
something in you to a little extra motivation night in
the night out.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Not everybody can do that.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
It's uh. I think it's just it's preparation. It's how
we train, It's how I trained, and like man, when
you train like I trained, going three times a day, like,
it's building your mental for you to be prepared for
anything that comes at you during the season. But more importantly,
(14:24):
It prepares you for the challenge, right, whatever that challenge is,
whether it's a player, whether it's defenses, whatever it is,
I'm prepared for that challenge because of how I work.
So you know, when I can attach a personal situation today, No, yeah,
(14:48):
on top of that, it's a different type of focus
that I could get to and I just lock in
and nothing else really matters, because that's what my mind
is really set on, is to destroy that.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
So was there anybody else to like I never knew this.
I kind of like you said, you knew about the
losing streak to the I wouldn't have taken you for
somebody that looked at that or studied that or or so. Yes,
once were there other things.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
When that was told to me? Yeah, I didn't tell nobody.
But you know when it was told to me, like
we were zero to ten against Milwaukee, it was it
gave me something to you know, destroy, like I was
going to change that personally for me, I was going
to change that. I didn't tell nobody about what I
(15:41):
had in mind or you know why this why I
felt this way about like I had no conversations about that.
That was just my internal competitive nature, competitive spirit, that
I wanted to destroy what was you know, uh that
challenge and that was in and sure enough we did that.
(16:03):
Is there anything else? Yeah? You know when I hear
somebody is a great defender, Bruce Boyne run our test
like those type of dudes, I'm.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
That's yeah, yeah, I'm take that personal.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Yeah, I take I take that personal. Approve the point.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
I just want to that I normally don't do any
any research for podcasts, pod squads, nothing, I do none.
I did one research because I knew Tracy was coming today.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
With the Magic.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
I'm probably the guy that told him we lost ten
straight to the Bucks. Probably probably probably, yeah, because I
know how it went that night. I told you, you
know your a few points short of sixty. You got
pissed off at me. But that's okay, all right. So
Tracy McGrady with the Magic in his career, okay, So
that's four seasons with the Magic, thirty thirty forty point
(16:54):
games in four seasons. In two oh three alone, the
year you averaged thirty two. Okay, you had eleven eleven
forty point games in one season. Since Tracy has left
in four the Magic franchise has had twelve forty point
games by sixtyffers. So you had eleven you had in season,
(17:20):
you had eleven in the one season in two o three,
and since you left in four, the Magic as a
whole have had twelve. And that just like when you're
with us and you're doing it every night. And also like,
I mean, I'm pretty I was pretty young, right, and
I'm just yes, like you're numb to the fact that well,
like we're rolling out and I know Tracy's going to
(17:41):
score thirty five, Like it just didn't. It didn't register.
How amazing. Like the numbers and they're stupid numbers too,
they're like video game numbers.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Like you know, one thing I noticed about about you
and Glassy knew my game. You knew when I when
I was coming down to the court. You knew when
I was about to pull out Dan.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Yes, yes, And I knew when it was going in yes, yes,
for sure.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Oh absolutely, especially end of games and certain situations. You
knew when you had the ball in your hands on those.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Nights that you had it going give me one more
because I but real quick to it.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
But there were times when you might not have driven
to the arena being mad at Kenyan Martin right that
that wasn't going to happen every game but for me.
And this is when, because I was around the court
and I was doing the sidelines. Then there were moments
within the game. Okay, guys, watch it. Somebody just said
something to Tracy. Okay, somebody gave him an elbow, somebody.
There were moments within the game that all of a sudden,
(18:43):
you would flip a switch.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
That happened one night. I remember specifically. We were playing
Seattle and I was going off. Seattle was tough. You know,
you had real and I think it was Richardo Lewis
was at that time, so I think it was.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
But anyways, in the camera, but Eli and Willcox were
close lining people every time he came.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
From Verdanovich, I think that's anyways, it was Desmond Mason, Desmond,
the kid that Mason could jump. I was given him
a business. He started yapping and trying to get physical,
and he elbowed me one time. This is what you
were speaking of. He elbowed me one time when I
(19:35):
went up for a rebound. He kind of gave me
a cheap shot. Oh my goodness.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Now we got to look up this game.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
What did you do to them? Man, I think I
finished with forty that night at home. And I remember
one play. It was on in front of their bench,
but on the opposite wing, and it was just we
just got into it and I had the ball and
I was sizing him up. I didn't even take a dribble,
(20:05):
just sizing him up in triple threat, and I shot
the ball and went in and I turned around to
the crowd and I was talking crazy to the crowd,
like it just wrapped me up and took me to
a whole another level that that was just that was
in it.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Did anybody ever tell you like, but you kind of
had this demeanor on the court. I don't want to
like like I call it like sleepy, like right like
you were like because like everything would come so easy
to you. Did anybody ever have to tell you to like,
did anybody have a conversation with you, like listen, like
you need to change that? Because I know we've had
some other players where they've been told like, all right,
(20:42):
like you do this too much? Do they like if
you if you switch this? But that wasn't you. But
you still were well, you still had that focus, even
though maybe outwardly it didn't look like Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
At times it was said that I looked like I
wasn't trying. But if you're in front of me, if
you guarding me, it was a different story. Like I
was probably one of the quickest players out there.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Right well, if you're averaging damn thirty, you have to play.
It doesn't It doesn't just happen.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
It looks like he's not trying. No, it's because I've
bust my ass in the off season. I go extremely hard,
so whin them in the games, the games are easy
to me. I don't have to go that speed because
everything has slowed down for me right now. I wasn't
always like that. Like in Toronto, I had to play hard.
I was playing hard because I didn't know the game,
(21:32):
you know, I was trying to figure it out, and
it was a different type of role. But once I
got to the point where okay, I was in a
different role and I'm working a certain way on my
individual skills, and the game has slowed down for me.
I don't have to go full speed, but I am
moving fast.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
When did this step for you, though? When when did
that flip for you?
Speaker 4 (21:54):
My second year here? I was good my first year.
I mean I think I averaged like twenty six or
twenty seven first year or something like that, which was crazy.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
But it wasn't.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
But things really slowed down my second year. Third year here,
I felt like I was the best on a planet
right right, that that t mac was a it was
a whole nother beast, just like I was seeing things.
I felt, my body I got it was like the
perfect year of training and just everything was just it
(22:31):
was it clicked. It's like I'm here now, right, and
it was just the house was in order.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
You get a lot of credit for those four years,
and you should, But how much credit in the back
of your mind do you give to the Darryls the
Pat Garrity's, Because those guys gave you everything they had.
They gave everything for the city, for the team, and
they tried to keep anything you needed. They to the
best of their ability, they gave it.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
That's really one of the reasons why I came here.
You know. I think the year before I got here,
the slogan for the Magic was like heart and hustle, yes, right,
and they personified that every single night. That like that
was a fun team to watch, although you had to
trade half of the team Unfortunately five guys all of
(23:19):
that team, Ben Wallace, cor and those guys like man,
they all gone. It would have been nice to keep
some of those guys, right.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
We had to pay this guy.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
But I look at I gotta get my money, give
me my but Pat Garty, Doleac, Andrew de Clerk, d A.
Like that was such a fun group, you know what
I mean, Like such a fun competitive group to be around.
We wasn't the most talented team. But when you talk
(23:52):
about getting everything out of your players and them giving
you everything, that's what they did. That's what did it.
Because if you look at our team, I averaged twenty
seven ports. I was pretty damn good. I was, but
we wasn't the most talented team out there. Man. It's like,
and even Doc told me one time, it's like you
(24:13):
just don't even understand. He's like, I have I go
out to dinner and I'll be having people come to
me all the time asking how are you doing it? Doc?
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Do you know you've got teams with three superstars. You've
got these mega teams that don't make the playoffs, and
I think that's two postseason appearances with really you could
and again, great role players but everybody was keying in
on him and just still be able to get to
the playoffs I think was remarkable.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Yeah, well it was three out of four years, that's right.
We have Charlotte, Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Detroit.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
That's right, three four years yea, where most people wouldn't
have been able to even do that. So I always
thought the second round stuff was bogus anyway, most people
couldn't have even made it, but you made it, and
I thought that was read.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
You think about this as great as Steph Curry is right,
they had won a championship. I think he has like
a championship under his belt, maybe two. Draymond Green or
Klay Thompson. One of those guys missed the whole season.
I think it was Klay Thompson. They didn't make the playoffs.
(25:20):
They didn't make the playoffs. Draymond was there, Andrew Wiggins
was there. This is Steph Curry were talking about. They
didn't make the playoff. It's hard when one of your
guys is out and you got to compete with these
guys that are built up for, you know, to win
and have their their best players playing. Man. It's listen, man,
(25:44):
this is the NBA. Man, this this is tough. We
need all of your troops out there, especially your best players.
So again, I was the second best player on my team.
We missed Grant for four years.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
And you know what's that that Piston series that was
the first year they went back to seven best of seven.
Had it been the whole history of the NBA up
to that, you'd already been in the second row. It
was great. That was the very first year that they switched.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
That was even that team, like that team won a
championship the next year exactly, they won a freaking championship
the next year. Man, they went what six straight years
Eastern Conference champions six? We had them on the ropes you.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Did, now, I know. It was some great basketball, some
great times that was.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
That was a great time.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
And you played against Michael, Kobe and Lebron Yeah right,
I mean something you talk about something to tell your kids?
Do you have Do you relive any of this with them?
What you do? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (26:48):
All the time, all the time, man, just just talking
about you know, just how competitive those games are and
the moments, you know what I mean. And it's when
you when you have kids that love the game and
play the game and then they can see it through
(27:09):
your lens and you give them those experience in those moments.
You know, that's the motivation for them. Right. And my
boys when they when I sit down and tell them
about some of those stories, like you can see it
in their their face that.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
How do you do it? Do you make a drink?
Put on it?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Like different lights?
Speaker 5 (27:27):
Like how do how do you take the jacket off
the wall and put it on? Before you tell them?
Speaker 3 (27:31):
What's what's the mood?
Speaker 4 (27:34):
It's like around dinner time. You know, it's it's around
dinner time because you know my kids, the kids are
doing their own thing and with sports, so when we
have dinner, it's a time to everybody come together, you
know from a long days of work and we just
sit down and and and catch up and reminisce and
have those discussions and it's just it's it's fun.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
You Like, my kids look at me like you don't
know what you're talking about. That that's how my kids
look at me. Listen, maybe I'm parenting wrong.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
Is what you're what you're getting at, No, Listen. I
had to have some conversations with some of my my peers,
like yo, when you your kids don't want you to train, like,
they don't listen to you when you tell them something on.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
The basketball A lot better now, Okay.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
It took forever for my son to allow me to
train him without him fussing.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Isn't that something?
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Man? You hear that a lot analyzed? You know. It's
just they can't separate it, Dad, hall of fame. They
don't care about hall of fame. You're my dad, You're
my dad. And it's just some kids are like that.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
And your oldest is playing now, does he does he
enjoy it? Does he does he want to keep playing?
Speaker 4 (28:48):
He enjoys it, you know. He he's always, since two
three years old, had a basketball in his hand. Even
now he has this little mini hoop in his in
his room. And I'll be in the kitchen. I can
hear him shooting in his in his room and on
his little mini hoop so much so that he took
(29:09):
it to his boarding school at IMG. Like. He loves
the game, you know, And I don't know what the
silling is for him, but as long as he loves
the game and you know, work extremely hard to be
the best version of him, and wherever that takes him,
I'm happy with it.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
So this is your first time in the in the
new Advent Health Training Center. What are your thoughts? I mean,
I know you probably haven't seen the whole building yet, but.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
So why are you asking me that question? Man?
Speaker 5 (29:39):
Because I would think you because I would think you
walk inside and you just can kind of get a
glimpse of of what this place is.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
Well, I tell you it's not r d V.
Speaker 5 (29:49):
No, it's not.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
Stas art at the time I missed d I missed
r DV. Boy, I have some great practices up. No,
this is this is I haven't seen everything, but this
is pretty dope. You know. It feels comfortable, you know,
and it's right in the heart of downtown. You don't
have to drive way out there too. Was that out
(30:15):
of mind we were at Yeah, Maitland. It's cool. Practice
courts is beautiful. I love the views from coaches office.
This is this is an upgrade heading in the right direction. Baby,
there you go.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Do you watch much of this team? What can you
tell us about Paolo Franz. There's an excitement brewing here
in central Florida about these two guys in the team
in general.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
Yeah, it should be because Polo is is a super
talent that can be a perennial All Star in this league,
great size. I think the one thing with him is
he wants it, you know, And I think you know,
when you have a guy that really wants it and
(30:59):
puts in that world can have a different type, have
a focus that will allow him to gradually progress as
a basketball player, that's what you want. And then you
know the support that he has around here, you know,
coach Moe and and and the coaching staff and allowing
these guys to be who they are as basketball players,
allowing Markel to come into his own Like people forget
(31:21):
that kid was the number one draft pick for a reason.
He could freaking play right. So I love the team.
I love the direction that they're heading. I felt like
they turned the corner last year was something different about them.
I love how they finished the season and hopefully that
can translate into the beginning of this season. But we
(31:44):
were in the Wizardes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was. It was.
It was. It was some rough it was some rough goings.
But I think this is a team that could be
on the verge of, you know, making the playoffs this year.
And I I think they could this year Polo, he's
I mean, rookie year average, what twenty points? I think
(32:04):
that should go up about another two or three points
this year. The younger guys gonna be good. I hope
Isaac is healthy and ready to man. If he's healthy,
it can stay healthy. In Franz and Markel and Anthony Man,
they got some good pieces. They got some really.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
Big Markel fans. Why and I know you have I
know you have an infinity for his game. What is
it about him can help?
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Well? First, the story, Yeah, absolutely, you know what I mean,
the story along because he was with me before he
got drafted. We did a piece together at my house.
I don't think if you guys don't know that he
was at my house.
Speaker 5 (32:45):
Yeah, I'll take when it comes out.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
No, No, this was like before he got drafted, Before
he got draft, we did a piece at my house,
and I just I noticed how calm confident he was
as a basketball player, Like he had all of you know,
these goals set for himself as a rookie and none
(33:09):
of that happened for him. And then he went through,
you know, just a bad period in his career and
to get back to a level of confidence where he
can actually help a franchise. Is to me just a
testament of number one that this kid he really wants it.
(33:29):
He has a great supporting cast around it, because it's
hard to have that level of a confidence and be
on top of your game, to lose that, yep, and
then to get that back up that doesn't really that
doesn't happen for a lot of guys. That is tough.
So it's a testament that this kid is mentally strong
and prepared for whatever. So I'm happy for him and hopefully,
(33:51):
you know, he does well this year, which I feel
he will.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Yeah, no, I agree, I think that's well said. Who
do you enjoy watching in the league? Are there guys
that you watch? Sure anybody say, man, I wish I
could have had a go against him, or.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
I mean it's not any you know, specific players. There's
a lot of good guy, good players out there. I'm
gonna tell you, I love I love Joker, right, I
love Joker. I think Joker is just like the perfect
basketball player. Although he can't jump right, he slows my glasses,
(34:26):
but he's so freaking good man, He's so good. He's
such a cerebral basketball player, makes the right place unbelievable passer.
He is one of those guys like, Okay, what is
the game giving me tonight? Oh? You need me to
score forty? All right, I'm gonna go get you forty.
(34:47):
You need me to score forty and tennis is okay,
I gotta get forty and I gotta get ten or
I just you know, I don't need to score forty tonight.
Jamal Murray has it going, Porter has it going. Just
settle for like fifteen assists and have like twenty points.
He is amazing. Man, He's amazing. I love everybody better
(35:09):
for sure. My mind goes to, how is that guy
the forty first pick? How does forty picks go before
that guy gets just couldn't really tell what he could
do over it. I mean, there are some bad there
are some bad you know, evaluating going on in this league.
I'm just I'm be honest with you. I mean, it's
been over the years, top two, top three four picks
(35:31):
of the NBA and these guys two years and you
don't even see them no more.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
Right, it can be. It can be frustrating. So yeah,
well tell us about the Ones Ones Basketball League.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
So we want we got a.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Schedule coming out. Do we know what the plan is
moving forward? In the success last year? That was a
lot of fun to watch.
Speaker 4 (35:49):
It was a lot of fun, and I'm happy for
a lot of the guys, man, because this is a
platform that is needed. You know, everybody can't play in
the NBA. Only have four hundred and fifty players in
our league. But you know, this is a platform to
create stars that love the game of basketball, and its
(36:10):
just a different form of basketball. It's one on one
when you look at UFC, right, UFC first started off
as a gimmick sport, but now it's it's real, it's raw,
it's authentic, and it's a platform that has created stars.
But if you look at where these guys come from,
(36:30):
we don't know that background, we don't know you know,
what college they went to, but they were somebody. It
was just a platform that now we know who they are. Right,
they're created these stars. Why can't OBL be the UFC
of basketball. It's the same exact thing. These names. These
guys played college basketball. These guys love the game, they
have passion for it, they have a unique skill set
(36:54):
and I just have created a platform to give them
the opportunity to show everybody who they are. They don't
know them, but they're gonna know these guys. And I
think the storytelling and it is to me is one
of the is the biggest things. So they have extremely
compelling stories that we should learn and know about.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
And what can you tell everybody about how they can
follow you?
Speaker 4 (37:16):
And yeah, so ob yeah, I mean, we have all
our social channels. Obl's one basketball league. We just dropped
our documentary on Showtime. It's on Paramount Plus. It's a
four part series. It gives you more information about our
league and what we were able to accomplish last year.
So it's like, you know, you're American Idol. We go
(37:37):
to these different cities, right, and we start out I
vet every player that place. So Saturday, we start out
with thirty two players, right, and then all of these
guys are playing seven games. We're gonna take the best
records from eight players. Right. The top eight players from
that Saturday is gonna move and play for our showcase Sunday,
(38:00):
single elimination and in that region, whoever the top guy is,
we give him ten thousand. He will win ten thousand dollars.
The top three guys would get the automatic invite to
our championship, which we had in Vegas. So we do
that in each city, right, So we take those those
top three guys. We had the championship in Vegas, and
our ultimate prize is two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
And life changing for whoever comes out of it.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
No, this is a great story. So the guy that
wanted is from Houston. He flew when we had Houston
was our first region. He flew in from Romania. Friday night,
registered Saturday morning, played Saturday seven games, didn't lose, played Sunday,
(38:46):
won the whole thing, didn't lose, went to Vegas obviously,
won the whole thing, won two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
So I was having a conversation with him and we
were talking. He was like, yeah, man, I just finally
moved out of mind. He's like, because he was just
so appreciated, like Mac Man, thank you bro. He's like,
I've been staying with my parents all this time. I
(39:07):
come back from Romania and I just go and stay
with my parents because you know, I'm Overseas more time
than I am home. He's like, man, I just bought
my first place. Man. He was like I appreciate you.
He's like I was coming home to he named the neighborhood.
I said, Bro, that's right across the street from me.
This whole time, this dude grew up and stayed right
(39:28):
across the street from where I live. Right now, you
didn't I didn't know that. I didn't know that. I
didn't know that, man. And yeah, so he moved out,
he got a G League invite, and now he's playing overseas.
Speaker 5 (39:43):
Amazing, that's amazing. I just wouldn't watch that at All
Star weekend. A little one on one absolutely.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
So of course if I'm starting the Basketball League, I
want to go in and I want to let the
NBA know what I'm doing. So I had conversations with
them and I'm trying to push that for the weekend.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
How good would that be?
Speaker 3 (40:03):
Well, I think, and I think it takes it another level.
And I think you get some of these guys in
the league. Now you get big money behind whoever going
one on one.
Speaker 4 (40:11):
Well, here's the deal. They used to do that, right,
But here, here's here's my thing though here and this
gets be a great marketing tool for the NBA. So
no one really cares about other than the players on
the team and an organization. But as far as fans,
you don't really care about the eleventh and twelfth man,
(40:33):
Like you don't even know who these guys are, right
A lot of times a lot of times, a lot
of times you just don't know who these guys are.
But when you look at the league, we have thirty teams.
They're not thirty superstars in our league. They're not stars
thirty superstars to feel each team. And then you're talking
about adding two more teams the Vegas, right, So you're
(40:54):
adding two more teams a way to create stars or
at least half fans know about your eleventh and twelfth guys.
Do the one on one tournament. These guys will get
in that tournament and after it, they will get good
after it, and fans will now attach themselves to these guys.
(41:15):
That's a part of this All Star weekend. They'll know
who these guys are and you could set marketing these
guys like that's that's a really good way for you, know,
you to market your guys that are eleventh and twelfth
and on an NBA love that.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
I think that's a great idea, great potential for sure.
Is that why you can't do TV. You don't have time.
How are you not doing television somewhere for something I don't.
Speaker 4 (41:36):
I don't have time.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
You don't any interests, no interest in no time.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
You did it already I have. You know, maybe if
I moved to Florida, come down here and do something
with you guys.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Yes, door's always open.
Speaker 5 (41:49):
But sign you right now.
Speaker 3 (41:53):
Your cousin did it last year, so Vince, you know
you only get a few more years and you're gonna
have another Hall of Famer in the family.
Speaker 4 (41:59):
Yeah, you can't. I'm excited for.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Him, right, I mean that's great, good, good good. Well, Hey,
we could do this all day. But thank you so
much for taking time.
Speaker 5 (42:06):
Aren't things better when Tracy's here? Yes, like things are
just better when Tracy's People in the.
Speaker 3 (42:11):
Building that didn't still work.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
By the way, all those people have be gone tomorrow.
I won't I won't see them again for another three stories.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
All right, Tracy, we appreciate it. That'll do it for
this edition of Magic Pod Squad.
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