Tracy McGrady may go out on a winning note, yet.
During ESPN's Friday night telecast of the Oklahoma City Thunder-Brooklyn Nets game, analyst Jeff Van Gundy revealed a somewhat surprising development about McGrady, whom he coached when the two were with the Houston Rockets organization from 2004-07.
"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, as reported by Larry Brown Sports.
According to the report, play-by-play announcer Mike Breen didn't know whether to take Van Gundy seriously.
"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."
Larry Brown Sports corrected Van Gundy, reporting that Clemens pitched for the Skeeters two years ago, but his son, Koby, is a catcher on the team.
One of the side notes of Ray Allen's 3-pointer in the closing seconds of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA finals that forced overtime and eventually helped the Miami Heat stave off elimination and come back to win Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs was McGrady's missed opportunity to win an elusive NBA ring.
But he has always maintained that baseball is more important to him than basketball, which is why he became part owner of the Skeeters in September.
"I love baseball. That was my first love," McGrady told the Biloxi Sun Herald, as reported by exnba.com. "Even to this day I love baseball more than I love basketball. People from my hometown would understand that.
"This will be a dream come true. It's a lifelong vision of mine to be a part of baseball. I made it in basketball but I always wanted to play baseball. If a ballpark comes out of this I'll be more than pleased."
Larry Brown Sports reported that McGrady told TNT in 2006 that he wanted to play baseball when his NBA career was over.
"I think I'll be done with this game in my early 30′s," McGrady said. "I would be a pitcher. I got a knuckleball, slider, changeup, curve and whatever."
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