The signing took place in Portland. That evening, the agent took Tracy McGrady to Kobe’s house. The two high school prodigies met and got to know each other, and from then on, they were both stars signed under Adidas.
Kobe’s mother warmly welcomed Tracy McGrady and even allowed him to stay overnight at their home.
It’s important to note that Kobe’s mother has always been strict with him, not allowing him to casually go out with friends or let people stay over.
She was afraid that those underprivileged kids with chaotic lives would negatively influence her precious son.
Tracy McGrady was evidently not on Kobe’s mother’s blacklist, and he ended up staying at Kobe’s place for two weeks.
During this time, they ate and lived together. Kobe even called over Little O’Neal, and the three of them trained and sparred at the gym.
The trio faced ongoing doubts from the outside world without making any verbal responses, using sweat and training to arm themselves instead.
The vibrant and hopeful young generation, training together, achieved much better results than training alone because they would compete with and push each other.
Kobe liked and admired Tracy McGrady, but at the same time, he felt a strong sense of crisis when training together—this guy’s talent was truly exceptional.
Tracy McGrady’s height and wingspan were outstanding, his speed and explosiveness were incredibly strong, and he always seemed so effortlessly at ease, sometimes reminding Kobe of Ah Gan.
Unlike Kobe, Tracy McGrady didn’t like playing basketball as a child because he was always bullied by his brothers on the basketball court; he preferred playing baseball.
It wasn’t until he was 15, under the guidance of scouts, that he chose basketball, giving up baseball and football, and joined the Adidas training camp.
That was the summer of 1996, and Kobe had just been picked by the Portland Trail Blazers. Tracy McGrady, along with Elton Brand, Quentin Richardson, and Al Harrington, appeared at the camp.
In the past, such high school training camps didn’t receive much attention, but ever since players like Garnett, Kobe, and Little O’Neal successfully entered the NBA, more and more NBA scouts were present, and the focus increased.
Tracy McGrady was one of the least known at the camp, matched up against the likes of Stephon Marbury’s brother Zack Marbury, and the so-called left-handed Magic, Lamar Odom, both famous national high school stars.
But Tracy McGrady, wearing number 175, soon won over everyone at the camp with his performance.
With sleepy eyes and a seemingly indifferent demeanor on the court, he managed to make the left-handed Magic suffer during his defense against Odom.
He hit consecutive three-pointers over Odom’s defense and dribbled past him with ease as if controlling a yo-yo, breaking into the paint effortlessly.
In the final scrimmage of the camp, Tracy McGrady grabbed a rebound to launch a fast break with the camp’s best big man James Felton in hot pursuit.
Tracy McGrady didn’t worry; he leaped easily, completing a windmill dunk in mid-air, knocking Felton to the ground.
He dunked not just on Felton but on the entire camp, instantly making himself a hotshot high school star nationwide.
"No footage was saved, otherwise I’d definitely show you, let you admire it properly."
When Kobe asked about this dunk, Tracy McGrady could only describe it verbally, not able to provide any video.
Kobe shook his head and said, "I’m sure I can too, I’m the Dunk King after all."
"Come on, your dunks in the dunk contest weren’t that impressive, right, Jermaine?"
"Impossible, want to have a match? Jermaine, you be the judge!"
Little O’Neal, initially silent on the side, didn’t want to get involved in the argument between these two.
But with Kobe insistent on competing, there was no end in sight, so he had to step up to judge.
After several rounds, Little O’Neal smartly gave them an even score, ending the contest.
However, it did not end the argument and rivalry between the two, with Kobe insisting, "I’m a genuine dunk contest champion! Officially certified!"
Tracy McGrady smiled and said, "Seriously, give it up. Oh, I have a cousin still in college whose dunks are definitely better than yours, much better. More than mine too, of course."
"Oh, you can’t beat me, so you bring relatives into it, give it up..."
"Really, I’m telling the truth! Believe it or not, he’ll make it to the NBA too, and soon."
The young ones are arriving one after another, and the time left for the older guys isn’t much.