Carmelo Anthony Recalls First Meeting With Tracy McGrady, Opens Up on How Hall of Famer Influenced His Game

Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady have shared a friendship for years, but recently, Melo reflected on the very first time they met. It was long before he made it to the NBA. He was still in high school when the encounter happened, and while it was a major moment for Melo, McGrady admitted he didn’t remember it.

On 7PM in Brooklyn, Melo said he was in 10th grade at the time. McGrady’s team was playing against the Wizards, and they had a few mutual connections in their circles. After the game, one of those people asked Melo if he wanted to meet T-Mac.

Naturally, he jumped at the opportunity. He was brought to McGrady’s room, where the two were introduced. For Melo, the moment was unforgettable. He had grown up watching McGrady dominate. Seeing someone he admired up close left a strong impression. He also felt unsure about meeting T-Mac because he didn’t know how to react.

Melo said, “I had to be in 10^th grade, going to 11^th grade. They brought me to your room. We in there. And I remember after the game you walking back from the arena…You walking to the restaurant, to the car. And that was my memory.” McGrady, meanwhile, didn’t remember that first meeting.

He said, “I don’t remember any of that.” But that didn’t take away from the influence he had on Melo’s path. Watching McGrady play helped shape how Melo approached the game. More than that, Melo sees McGrady as someone who helped shift the culture of the NBA. He said very few players can leave that kind of mark. Melo put him in the same category as Allen Iverson when it came to cultural impact.

Tracy McGrady was the first to score 50 points on Carmelo Anthony

Tracy McGrady, in his prime, was an offensive threat that terrorized every team in the league. With his elite scoring prowess, he made high-scoring games look easy. In his career, T-Mac scored 50 or more points on four different occasions, one of which was against Carmelo Anthony.

During a conversation with GaryVee, Melo talked about the 51-point game T-Mac had against Denver. He said, “I played against T-Mac. That was the first time I saw someone score 50 points. Ever. So for me to be a part of that, and I know people are going to be like, ‘Oh McGrady gave Melo 50,’ nah he didn’t give me 50. For me, he was one of my most favorite players to watch.”

Even though he has a lot of respect for T-Mac and considers him one of his biggest influences, getting 50 points scored on him in his rookie year must’ve stung a lot.