Hurricane looms over McGrady’s hall enshrinement
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. Tracy McGrady says the celebration of his induction in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been muted by the impact of hurricane Harvey on his family and neighbours in Texas.
The seven-time NBA all-star and two-time league scoring champion who got his start with the Toronto Raptors in the 1997-98 season was among 11 basketball greats enshrined Friday in Springfield.
“Although this weekend is awesome — I’m humbled, I’m honoured — what I left behind is way more important,” McGrady said. “Way more important.”
McGrady said his estate in Sugar Land, Texas, suffered only minor damage from the storm, allowing him and his wife to take in the families of five relatives and friends for three days after mandatory evacuations. He also put on a Labour Day feast at a church in the Houston area for about 800 victims of the storm.
“My sister was at the house, and I was trying to take her home and driving to her house. Just seeing cars under water and you don’t know if people are in there, it’s real,” he said. “I’m being as vocal and proactive as I can.”
Inductee Mannie Jackson talked about being born in a boxcar in Missouri and rising to become a player and later owner of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Former UConn star Rebecca Lobo and Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw celebrated the growth of women’s basketball.
“It’s great to have two of us going in on the same day,” McGraw said. “Hopefully, in the future, there will be more.”
Kansas men’s coach Bill Self, 54, said he feels a little uncomfortable being enshrined in the middle of his career, which includes an NCAA championship in 2008.
“I hope it doesn’t mean that I’m on my last leg yet,” he said. “I think this will be motivation to try and validate it, always.”
Others honoured Friday include former ABA and NBA star George McGinnis, Texas high school coach Robert Hughes, NCAA administrator Tom Jernstedt and former European star Nick Galis. Former Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause and former Globetrotters and New York Rens player Zack Clayton were honoured posthumously.