Tracy McGrady in a Kentucky jersey is still one of the biggest “what if” decisions for Kentucky basketball fans.
Those old enough to remember can recall McGrady being destined to pick Kentucky in 1997 before he made the jump to the NBA out of high school.
In a recent interview on the “All the Smoke” podcast, McGrady confirms he was headed to Kentucky until Adidas offered him a six-year deal worth $12 million to sign with the company.
“I’m sitting in my Coach’s office, he’s like, ‘I know you want to go to Kentucky but after I tell you this, you are going to forget all about that.’ I’m like, ‘After you tell me what?’ He’s like, ‘I got a $12 million deal for you.’ I said, ‘From who?’ He said, ‘From Adidas.’ I said, ‘Oh, [expletive]. Let’s sign!’ … My college dream went out the window. I signed for that bag and that was it.”
The decision worked out for McGrady, who signed a lifetime deal with Adidas in 2002 and had a Hall of Fame career in the NBA.
McGrady mentions Kentucky 21 minutes into the video below.
Tracy McGrady : “I was going to KENTUCKY! Derek Anderson was my host. I went on my visit. I saw all them boys with fully loaded Eddie Bauer outside, I said ‘THIS where I’m going!’” -All The Smoke Podcast-
