“I have never seen this in my life” – Tracy McGrady recalls being stunned watching Vince Carter do crazy things during their practices with the Raptors originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Vince Carter generated a lot of excitement in the build-up to the 1998 draft, courtesy of his notable stint at North Carolina. Initially slated to play for the Warriors, his draft rights were traded to the Raptors, reuniting him with long-lost cousin Tracy McGrady.
Carter turned out to be a runaway success, igniting crowds with his explosive dunks and leaping abilities. A prolific scorer, he could also get buckets off pull-up jumpers from the mid-range and 3-point line. His arrival in Toronto uplifted McGrady, who did have his initial fair share of struggles.
In a recent episode of the Timeless Sports podcast, McGrady opened up about what it was like having first-row tickets to Vinsanity. “Oh my gosh,” exclaimed T-Mac when asked about what practice sessions were like with Carter.
He added, “Vince and I were always on the same team. Butch wouldn’t let us play against each other. We stayed on the same team, so we can establish that cohesiveness and really learn how to play with one another. But it was crazy, bro, seeing some of the things….I’ve seen this in high school. I played for Florida, the junior team. We played before Vince, so I would sit in the stands after I play, and watch him in the lay-up like just go crazy like I have never seen this in my life before. This was different,” mentioned McGrady, who knew he had to take the backseat for some time now.
T-Mac did not want to leave his cousin
McGrady played three seasons for the Raptors before signing with the Magic as a free agent in 2000. According to reports, various factors contributed to this decision, from his desire for a bigger role to internal issues within the organization and going home to Florida.
Recently, when asked to reflect on his decision to leave Toronto, McGrady seemed to have enough reasons to head to Orlando.
“There was a lot going on. I didn’t want to leave my cousin if things were in order. There were a lot of things going on in the organization, with the coach, and it wasn’t stable for me. And of course, Toronto was going up against me going back home to play in Orlando. I grew up 35 miles from Orlando,” pointed McGrady, who played two seasons with Carter, posting a 67-61 record.
At the time, there was a growing narrative that McGrady was jealous of Carter, something the former refuted thoroughly. He also predicted that his elder cousin would ultimately leave Toronto after wrapping up the two years left on his deal.
The Air Canada phenomenon
A freak of nature, Carter helped put the Raptors on the map. A box office attraction courtesy of his high-flying abilities, he brought glory to the franchise. He put up one of the greatest dunking shows of all time during the 2000 All-Star Weekend, earning him the trophy as well.
While the admiration and individual achievements were motivating, there came a time when Carter needed to get to the next level. In his seven seasons with the Raptors, the ceiling remained a semi-finals appearance, with injuries beginning to take a toll. Ultimately, forcing his way out, he was traded to the Nets.
Feeling a sense of betrayal, Carter was booed whenever he visited the Air Canada Centre. Nevertheless, as years passed, things cooled down, with the Raptors even retiring his jersey, making him the first player in franchise history to be bestowed this honor.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.