Former NBA Star Tracy McGrady Wants to Play Baseball

Apr 17, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tracy McGrady (1) watches from the bench during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the AT&T Center. The Timberwolves won 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

The world was just sitting around minding its own business Friday night when Jeff Van Gundy dropped this incredible tidbit on its head in the middle of an NBA broadcast:

Van Gundy’s one-time player Tracy McGrady, now retired from the NBA, is currently and quite earnestly pursuing a new career as a professional baseball player. No kidding.

“Speaking real quickly of McGrady, I think he’s going to play independent league baseball as a pitcher this year. In the independent league,” Van Gundy said.

“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.”

Van Gundy’s report was later confirmed by Houston media people. Randy McIlvoy of KPRC in Houston says McGrady has been working out for two months and is hitting 91 on the gun.

Thanks to injury, McGrady’s basketball career never reached the heights many expected when he burst on the scene as one of those straight out of high school guys back in the bad-ass ’90s.

But McGrady always said he loved baseball first, so for him giving up basketball isn’t a horrible thing after all, it’s just a chance to pursue his true dream.

Like Michael Jordan, McGrady is probably nuts to think he can make it even in the minor leagues. Unlike Jordan, McGrady has a fastball.

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