T-Mac is coming back!

[HHR]

To baseball.

As a pitcher.

The days of former NBA superstar Tracy McGrady dominating on the hardwood may be over. But it appears the 34-year-old isn't ready to give up on a career in professional sports just yet.

According to KPRC-TV Houston sports director Randy McIlvoy, McGrady is considering a new career as a professional baseball pitcher:



McGrady's former coach with the Houston Rockets and ESPN color commentator Jeff Van Gundy also brought up the story during a Friday, Jan. 31 NBA broadcast, per For the Win's Sean Highkin:

"I think he’s going to play independent league baseball as a pitcher this year. I’m being serious. I’ve heard from sources in Houston — seriously — that he’s throwing over 90 miles per hour."​

And considering McGrady is 6'8", you can't help but think of Randy Johnson. Better known as "The Big Unit," Johnson stood at 6'10" and won five Cy Young Awards on his way to posting more than 300 wins in the majors.

But Johnson had already been named a major league All-Star five times before his 34th birthday. But then again, Johnson never scored 13 points in the final 35 seconds of an NBA game.

Assuming McGrady is determined to break through on the mound, it's obvious his star power and appeal will give him an advantage in terms of landing a tryout and, ultimately, earning a contract.

McGrady played 16 seasons in the NBA from 1997 to 2013 and scored more than 18,000 points over that time. He earned seven All-Star nods and also won the scoring title in back-to-back years in 2003 and 2004.

For the better part of his career, McGrady was infamous for never having reached the second round of the NBA playoffs. He ended up getting to the NBA Finals with the San Antonio Spurs last season after joining the team late in the year in a reserve role, but failed to capture an elusive championship ring as the Spurs fell to the Miami Heat in seven games.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1944435-tracy-mcgrady-reportedly-may-attempt-pro-baseball-career

Muthafukka hitting 91

 

[Da_Eggman]

Still won't get past the first round

 

[killacal]

Cacs are about to be mad and there's nothing they can do about it

 

[Malta]

My new and only favorite baseball player.

 

[Regular_P]

If he even threw one inning in the majors, it would be incredible. Does he have any background in baseball?

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

 

[#1 pick]

91 and only been working on it for a couple months

 

[The War Report]

Maybe he can make his bones as a reliever.

 

[I.AM.PIFF]

My new and only favorite baseball player.

 

[AkaDemiK]

wow...good luck to him...91 is crazy for 2 months of practice...dat raw skill/power

 

[Brock Landers]

Legit hope he at least gets a shot at AAA or something, but man if he made it into the big time...

 

[who_better_than_me]

He always said baseballl was his favorite sport. He only chose basketball because he was naturally good at it, but baseball was his true love. All I heard while he played for Houston, was he going play baseball at the end of his career.


Edit: found the link from his second season in Houston.
http://www.hoopsvibe.com/features/breaking-down-the-nba/49205-tracy-mcgrady-i-want-to-play-baseball

 

[Scientific]

Yup. Part of the reason some fans wanted him gone. You could tell he didn't have the heart for it anymore. He was working with Clemens on mechancs for a minute back then.

 

[swyyyguy]

i wouldn't be surprised if he led them to a 22 game win streak too.

 

[Majestyx]

i'd start watching baseball again if he go to the majors