Tracy McGrady is a real-life4 superstar. He spent the summer traveling in Europe, working with Adidas on his latest basketball shoes and playing with Team USA in an Olympic qualifying tournament5.
He also spent many hours in the gym.
“I work on things every day in the off-season,” says McGrady, 24, an ALL-Star guard with the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. “I'm never satisfied. I'm always striving6 to get better.”
Yes, Tracy McGrady is a real-life superstar who apparently doesn't know he's a superstar.
It's easy to spot7 Tracy McGrady. “He's a level above,” says former Miami Heat coach Pat Riley. “He plays above the rim8.”
The Road to Stardom
Until McGrady was 17, few outside his tiny hometown of Auburndale, Fla., about 40 minutes from Orlando, knew of his skills. He was raised mostly by his grandmother in a rough part of town.
Sports were his escape9. He could shoot the lights out10 in basketball and hit home runs11 in baseball. McGrady's coaches at Auburndale High believed he was good enough to play professional baseball.
To gain more exposure12 for his basketball skills, McGrady transferred to play his senior season at Mount Zion Christian Academy in North Carolina. After leading the Mighty Warriors13 to a 26-2 record that season, McGrady was named Player of the Year by a national newspaper.
As McGrady was set to14 commit to the University of Kentucky, he realized he would be a high draft pick15 if he were to jump straight to the NBA. He declared his eligibility16 and was selected in the first round by the Toronto Raptors in 1997.
“I considered college, but my dream was to make it to the top, and I had a chance to do that earlier,” says McGrady, who has since attended classes at Rollins College near Orlando.
Work, Work, Work
At 18, McGrady was starting for Toronto by the end of his rookie17 season. But he wanted to become one of the NBA's elite18, so he hired a trainer and began intense19 workouts20.
It's not uncommon21 for McGrady, who signed with Orlando in 2000, to shoot 200 jumpers after practice, grab a healthy bite to eat and go work out with the Los Angeles Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal, who owns a home in Orlando.
“He's sustained22 a high level,” Orlando coach Doc Rivers says of McGrady. “A lot of young players can play a good 20 minutes, or have a great month. Tracy does it all season on both ends.”
To be that good takes a lot of work. To be better takes even more work. McGrady is ready for the challenge23, because he knows what he wants.
“I don't want to be one of those players that's known for being a great player that never won a championship,” McGrady says. “I want a title24.”
Tracy McGrady can dribble25, pass and shoot with the best of them. “More than anyone else, he does it all,” says fellow NBA player Sam Cassell.
Stay in School
Tracy McGrady skipped college and went straight to the National Basketball Association. He says turning pro26 out of high school isn't for everyone. So when he met 18-year-old LeBron James, who went from Cleveland high school phenom27 to the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers this season, McGrady offered some advice.
“I told him it's different up here,” McGrady says. “There are all kinds of adjustments. It's not always easy. Stay grounded, work on your game and be ready every night.”
Even better advice: Stay in school.
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale says players like McGrady and James are rare. For every McGrady, James or Kevin Garnett, there are many others who tried to make the jump from high school to the pros who were never heard from again.
“We're rushing these kids,” Vitale says.
LeBron James and McGrady are among the very rare athletes who can jump straight to the NBA from high school.
特雷西·麦克格雷迪可是个实实在在的超级明星。整个夏季他都在欧洲穿行, 为阿迪达斯公司的新款球鞋促销，又出征美国队的奥运会预选赛。
他还在健身房里耗去了不少时间。
“不打比赛的时候我每天都训练。”24岁的麦克格雷迪，这位NBA奥兰多魔术队的全明星后卫说：“我从不满足，总是争取更好。”
是的，真正的巨星特雷西·麦克格雷迪显然没有意识到自己是一个巨星。
人们很容易发现特雷西·麦克格雷迪的与众不同。迈阿密热队前主教练帕特·雷利说：“他高出别人一个层次，他不仅仅是在打篮球。”
星路历程
麦克格雷迪的家乡在佛罗里达州的奥本戴尔，距离奥兰多约40分钟的车程。17岁以前，这片小地方之外几乎没有人知道他的才华。他基本生活在小镇的贫民区，由祖母抚养大。
运动是他的一种逃避。在篮球场上，他是个百发百中的好手。棒球他可以打出全垒打，麦克格雷迪的中学教练们都认为他棒极了，完全可以打职业棒球。
为了更多地展示自己的球艺，麦克格雷迪转到北卡州锡安山基督学院打高年级联赛。在率领勇士队创造了那个赛季26胜2负的记录后，麦克格雷迪被一家全国性报纸封为年度最佳运动员。
就在麦克格雷迪确定要上肯塔基大学时，他意识到如果想直接去NBA打球，他得成为入选新秀。他展示了自己的实力并在1997年第一轮选秀被多伦多猛龙队看中。
“我想过上大学，但是我的梦想是登上顶峰，而且我有这个机会早日圆梦。”麦克格雷迪说。他后来一直在奥兰多附近的罗林斯大学插班就读。
努力！努力！再努力！
新手赛季结束后，18岁的麦克格雷迪就开始为猛龙队效力。但是他想成为NBA的精英，他雇了一名教练开始了高强度的训练。
麦克格雷迪2000年与奥兰多签约。常规训练之后再跳投200次，匆忙地吃完一顿营养餐然后赶去和洛杉矶湖人队的夏奎尔·奥尼尔（奥尼尔在奥兰多有自己的家）一起练习，这对他来说已是家常便饭 了。
“他一直保持着高水准。”奥兰多队的教练道克·芮沃斯说，“很多年轻选手可以打20分钟的好球，或者有一个月的上佳表现。可特雷西整个赛季自始至终都是这样。”
要如此出色可得花不少功夫，要更上一层楼就得更加苦练。麦克格雷迪已准备好接受挑战，因为他知道自己想要什么。
“我不想成为一个大名鼎鼎却从未赢得冠军的球员。我要得冠。”麦克格雷迪这么说。
特雷西·麦克格雷迪运球、传球、投篮样样出色。NBA队友山姆·卡赛尔认为：“他是全能型的，很少有人能做到这样。”
留在学校
特雷西·麦克格雷迪没上大学就直接加入了NBA，但他认为高中毕业就打职业联赛并不适合每一个人。所以遇到18岁的篮球天才李布朗·詹姆斯时，他提出了一些忠告。詹姆斯这个赛季从克利夫兰高中升到了NBA克利夫兰骑士队。
麦克格雷迪说：“我告诉他这儿完全不一样，好多东西都得适应。这并不容易，要脚踏实地，认真对待你的比赛，而且每天晚上都做好（迎接明天的）准备。”
甚至有更好的建议：留在学校。
ESPN的大学篮球分析家迪克·维塔尔说，像麦克格雷迪和詹姆斯这样的选手难得一见。出一个麦克格雷迪、詹姆斯或者凯文·加内特很难， 许许多多试图从高中“跳级”打职业联赛的人从此就默默无闻了。
维塔尔认为：“我们对这些孩子太急于求成了。”
能从高中直升NBA，李布朗·詹姆斯和麦克格雷迪都是罕见的佼佼者之一。
1. improve v． 提高，改进
2． humble adj． 谦逊的
3． c／o： care of 由…转交
4． real－life adj． 现实的，实在的
5． tournament n． 锦标赛，联赛
6． strive [straiv] v． 努力，奋斗
7． spot v． 认出，发现
8． rim [rim] n． 篮框
9． escape n． 逃避
10． shoot the lights out 字面意思为“用枪将灯射灭”， 此处引申为“投球很准”；士兵射击训练时，常常比赛看谁能够将远处的灯泡射灭；篮球投篮是shoot the basket，和射击类似；所以人们用shoot out the lights 表示投球准。
11． home run 全垒打（击球员能打出跑完各垒回到本垒的球叫全垒打；多数全垒打球都从界内外场地区飞出围栏）
12． exposure n． 曝光
13． warrior n． 战士，武士
14． be set to 已确定干（什么事）
15． draft pick 获选新秀；NBA每年一度的选秀
16． eligibility [?謖elid?廾?藜biliti] n．合格
17． rookie n． 新手
18． elite n． 精英，中坚分子
19． intense adj． 强烈的，剧烈的
20． workout n． 训练
21． uncommon adj． 不常见的
22． sustain v． 保持，维持
23． challenge n． 挑战
24． title n．头衔
25． dribble v． 运球
26． pro＝ professional
27． phenom n． ＜美口＞杰出人才(尤指运动员)