Tracy McGrady says his decision to walk away from the NBA this summer after 16 seasons was partly fueled by the fact he grew "tired of all the bulls***."
"I was just drained to be honest with you," the 34-year-old McGrady told Hoopsworld.com. "Not really getting the opportunity to show what I could do, I wasn't going to put myself through that kind of situation again."
For the first time since he was a teenager, McGrady who candidly told the media earlier this month he once considered taking performance enhancing drugs to bounce back from all the injuries he suffered over his career, McGrady insists he's now able to enjoy life in ways he could only imagine over the last near two decades.
"Right now, I'm just enjoying my life and enjoying being free," he told Hoopsworld. "It hasn't been that way since I was 18 years old; every year grinding it out, getting my body ready for the NBA's rigorous regular season. I'd be in training camp and preseason right now, but instead I get to relax and be with my kids, just enjoying life. My kids love it and I'm really enjoying the opportunity to be around them."
After toiling for seven NBA teams and amassing nearly 20,000 points, McGrady admits he still feels the effects of his time in the NBA.
"Obviously it's taken a toll, my body aches when I wake up in the morning," he said. "But at the same time, I still work out. I didn't just completely shut it down, I still try to get my workouts in, just doing little maintenance things. It's fine though."
As for what comes next, McGrady says he wants to remain connected to the game, but can't see himself as a coach or an assistant. He admits he can see himself being a broadcaster or maybe a GM, positions he feels allow him to take advantage of his gift for judging talent.
When it comes to the question of if he feels he longs in the Hall of Fame, McGrady insists he will leave that debate to all the game's other talent evaluators.
"It's a great thing to just be in the conversation," he told Hoopsworld. "I'm from Auburndale, Fl., where there's 10,000 people... to come from there and see ahead 16 years later, to be mentioned as a potential Hall of Famer is overwhelming to me."
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