Tracy McGrady is taking baby steps toward fulfilling his dream of carving out a professional baseball career.
McGrady, who retired from the NBA last summer after an illustrious basketball career, took the mound Wednesday during a workout with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. The 34-year-old is trying to earn a contract with the club as a pitcher.
“This will be huge,” McGrady told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “This will be so gratifying, even if I just go out there and pitch one inning the whole season, this will be a dream that has come true for me.”
McGrady, who stands at 6-foot-8, played 15 seasons in the NBA and earned seven All-Star selections. T-Mac was a legitimate basketball superstar, but baseball — which he began playing at age 5 — still held a special place in his heart. McGrady acknowledged Wednesday that he’s excited to give baseball a whirl following his retirement from the NBA, even if it’s unlikely that he’ll ever reach superstar status on the diamond.
“I’m extremely confident in myself and my ability,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for me to fulfill a dream. It’s the independent league. I’m not signing some multimillion dollar contract that I’m used to signing. This is all for the love of the game.”
Check out McGrady’s pitching mechanics in the video below.
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