Tracy McGrady’s departure from the Toronto Raptors in 2000 came as a surprise to many. After spending the first three years of his career with the team and building a strong bond with his cousin, Vince Carter, most expected McGrady to stay and continue growing alongside him.
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But behind the scenes, things were more complicated than they appeared. McGrady recently opened up about the decision on Timeless Sports and explained that there was a lot going on within the Raptors organization at the time.
Issues with the coaching staff and overall direction of the team made his position uncertain. He said, “There was a lot going on. I didn’t want to leave my cousin if things were in order. There was a lot of things going on with the organization, with the coach, and it wasn’t stable for me.” In addition to that, he also revealed that the Raptors weren’t in favor of him joining the Orlando Magic.
Toronto made a strong push to convince him to stay, even trying to keep him from heading to Florida. But McGrady grew up just 35 miles from Orlando and had been a longtime Magic fan. That connection to the team, both geographically and emotionally, played a major role in his decision.
What sealed the deal for him, however, was one player, Penny Hardaway. McGrady said, “I became a Magic fan, but when we got Penny, that’s when…I saw myself in that uniform when we got Penny because I identified a lot of my game watching Penny.”
McGrady idolized Penny’s game. As a tall, versatile guard who could handle the ball, make plays, and score from anywhere, Penny was the player McGrady saw himself becoming. Watching Hardaway thrive in Orlando gave him a vision of what his own future could look like. So when the Magic offered him the opportunity to return home and carry the torch, it felt like the perfect fit.
The decision was more than just going closer to home. McGrady had other options on the table. The Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls were both interested and made their pitch. But neither franchise sparked the same personal connection.
He did a pre-draft workout for the Bulls and even met them after he became a free agent, but no other organization appealed to McGrady more than the Orlando Magic.
