Foshan 佛山
—  Prefecture-level city  —
City of Foshan · 佛山市
Foshan
Foshan Location in Guangdong
Coordinates: 23°1′0″N 113°7′0″E / 23.016667°N 113.116667°E / 23.016667; 113.116667Coordinates: 23°1′0″N 113°7′0″E / 23.016667°N 113.116667°E / 23.016667; 113.116667
Country	China
Province	Guangdong
City Seat	Chancheng District
Government
• CPC Committee Secretary	Lin Yuanhe (林元和)
• Mayor	Chen Yunxian （陈云贤）
Area
• Prefecture-level city	3,813.64 km2 (1,472.45 sq mi)
• Water	690 km2 (270 sq mi)
• Urban	153.69 km2 (59.34 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Prefecture-level city	7,194,311
• Density	1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
• Urban	7,194,311
• Metro	7,194,311
Time zone	China Standard Time (UTC+8)
Postal code	528000
Area code(s)	757
License plate prefixes	粤E（for cars registered in Chancheng, Sanshui and Gaoming District）, 粤Y(for cars registered in Nanhai District), 粤X(for cars registered in Shunde District)
GDP
- Total	¥ 481.5 billion (2009)
- Per capita	¥ 80,579 (2009)
Website	http://www.foshan.gov.cn/

Foshan (Chinese: 佛山; pinyin: Fóshān, pronounced [fwɔ̌ ʂán]), is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper (year 2000 figures).

It is shown on some older maps as 'Fatshan', which is a phonetic spelling of the city's Cantonese name. Today many areas of Foshan city are occupied mostly by Chinese migrants coming from different provinces of China and speak only Mandarin, while its native dialect is a Foshan variant of Cantonese.

History[link]

The town of Foshan is many centuries old, and was famous for its porcelain industry. Now, the third largest city in Guangdong, it has become relatively affluent compared to other Chinese cities, and is home to many large private enterprises. Foshan has recently seen a transformation brought by China's booming economy. Foshan is also famous for its martial arts. It contains numerous Wing Chun schools where many come to train and spar.

City of Guangfo[link]

In January 2009 the National People's Congress approved a development plan for the Pearl River Delta Region. On March 19, 2009 the Guangzhou Municipal Government and Foshan Municipal Government both agreed to establish a framework to merge the two cities.^[1]

Administration[link]

The prefecture-level city of Foshan administers five county-level divisions, all of which are districts.

Map	#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Population (2010 census.)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
	City Proper
	1	Chancheng District	禅城区	Chánchéng Qū	1,101,077	154	7,150
	Inner Suburbs
	2	Nanhai District	南海区	Nánhǎi Qū	2,588,844	1,074	2,410
	3	Shunde District	顺德区	Shùndé Qū	2,461,701	806	3,054
	Outer Suburbs
	4	Sanshui District	三水区	Sānshuǐ Qū	622,645	874	712
	5	Gaoming District	高明区	Gāomíng Qū	420,044	960	438

These are further divided into 64 township-level divisions, including 37 towns and 27 subdistricts.

Foshan is close to Guangzhou and considers its link with Guangzhou very important. A Guangzhou-Foshan metropolitan region is being formed.

Geography and climate[link]

This section requires expansion.

Guangzhou lies to the east, Zhongshan to the southeast, Jiangmen to the southeast, Yunfu to the west, and Zhaoqing to the northwest.

Foshan experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).

Transportation[link]

FMetro[link]

The first line of FMetro opened in 2010, making Foshan the tenth city in Mainland China to have an underground railway system. Currently the underground network is made up of one line, covering a total length of 20.4 km (12.7 mi), while another two lines are under construction and due to be completed in 2015 and 2020. A long term plan is to make the city's underground system expand to 8 lines.

Being a prominent link to Guangzhou city, the Guangfo Line of the FMetro and Guangzhou Metro is the first inter-city subway in mainland China. The line was open in time for the 2010 Asian Games making it very convenient to go from Foshan downtown area to any place in Guangzhou.

The existing line of FMetro network:

• Line 1 (Guangfo Line): From Kuiqi Lu Station to Xilang Station

Air[link]

Foshan Shadi Airport was once a regional airport with mixed usage (both military and domestic transport) since January 22, 1987, as it became a base of China United Airlines (CUA) in Guangdong Province. When CUA ceased domestic flights on November 1, 2002, Foshan Airport remained military service only. The airport resumed its regional airport status in 2005 when the regrouped CUA, which was partly purchased by Shanghai Airlines, resumed domestic flight service. It is expected domestic flight linkage between Foshan and at least ten Chinese cities including Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Yinchuan etc.

Rail[link]

Foshan railway station

Foshan is a main interchange for railway routes linking Guangzhou, Hong Kong and the western Guangdong Province. It is connected with Hong Kong via the KCRC Guangdong Through Train service from Foshan railway station. The inter-city through train service was extended from Guangzhou to Foshan since the 1990s.

Bus[link]

Bus service is the major mode public transport inside the city of Foshan.

Auto[link]

The Foshan Auto carplates begin with the Guangdong 粤-

• 粤Y is for Nanhai District (南海区)
• 粤X is for Shunde District (顺德区)
• 粤E is for Gaoming District (高明区), Sanshui District (三水区), and Chancheng District (禅城区)

Economy[link]

Statue of Guan Yin on Mount Xiqiao, in Nanhai

Agriculture[link]

There are Agricultural Model Districts (AMD) around the prefecture, such as Shunde Chencun AMD, and AMDs in Dali Town, Shatou Town and Locun Town in Nanhai, with a total area of about 9.4 km².

The AMDs aim to provide an all-round environment for modern agriculture. Agricultural processes are upgraded through technology, and sale service is incorporated with a new style of tourism that attracts target clients. The modern integrated practice mode resulted in the reputation of the largest base for wholesale, food production, storage and logistics of agricultural products in Guangdong Province.

Manufacturing industries[link]

Following Shenzhen and Guangzhou, Foshan is the third largest manufacturing base in the Pearl River Delta. Once home to a strong State-Owned Enterprises sector, its current economic strength lies in privates firms and Township and Village Enterprises in Shunde and Nanhai. In 2002, private firms contributed 56.12% of the industrial output and firms from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan contributed 63.44% in exports.

Key industries in Foshan include:

• Household electrical appliance and tool manufacturing
• Furniture
• Non-metal ore and manufacturing
• Electronics and communications
• Stainless steel products
• Plastic products
• Ceramics

Towns in Foshan specialize in pillar industries as follows:

• Beijiao Town, Shunde (顺德北滘) - household electrical appliances
• Chencun Town, Shunde (顺德陈村) - flowers and horticulture
• Dali Town, Nanhai (南海大沥) - aluminium products
• Lecong Town, Shunde (顺德乐从) - furniture production and distribution
• Nanzhuang Town, Nanhai (南海南庄) - building materials
• Xiqiao Town, Nanhai (南海西樵) - tourism and textiles
• Yanbu Town, Nanhai (南海盐步) - underclothes
• Nanzhuang Town, Chancheng (禅城南庄) - ceramics

Some well-known brands to come out of these pillar industries include Midea, Kelon, and Jianlibao. Foshan's furniture and lighting industry is known as the world's largest furniture wholesale market and the world's largest lighting wholesale market.

Industrial Zone[link]

• Foshan Hi-Tech Development Zone

Foshan Hi-Tech Development Zone was founded in 1992. Its total planned area is 7.55 square kilometers. The zone is very close to the national highway G325 as well as Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. The major industries in the zone including automobile assembly, biotechnology and chemicals processing.^[3]

Development strategy[link]

Foshan aims to become a manufacturing giant and the third largest city in Guangdong. To do this, it has pledged to make large-scale investment in the construction of the infrastructure such as transportation and energy. Urban development will focus on the central urban group and Shunde urban group, each with more than one million inhabitants.

Education[link]

Foshan University's front gate

Foshan is home to Foshan University,^[4] a designated full-time comprehensive university.

Tourism[link]

Foshan has many tourist spots, including Chinese temples and other examples of Chinese architecture. The old Ancestral Temple in Foshan houses the city's guardian, where it has stood for hundreds of years. The temple still stands after enduring many wars and the Cultural Revolution. Much of its original architecture is still intact. The temple is now used to stage the traditional Cantonese opera in addition to veneration.

Besides the Ancestral Temple, another example of traditional Chinese buildings is the Liang . It is one of the four famous Yuan, or private estates, in Guangdong. It epitomizes the building style of the Ming-Qing dynasties, with delicate craftsmanship throughout the building, and a compact yet elegantly designed garden. It is very well preserved, with most of its original artifacts displayed in-house. Very near to this site is a group of preserved buildings that date back to the Qing dynasty. Although they are now private houses, permits to visit some of these buildings can be obtained from the Tourist Bureau. These buildings all display the very classic building style of that era, which is the abandonment of the large and ostensible garden and space in favour to small yet multi-stories houses that is practical when there is little space.

Another potential tourist site in Foshan is the old porcelain furnace in Shi Wan. It is said to have been in operation since the Tang dynasty, and the fire inside has never gone out. It is still producing some of the chinaware that made Foshan famous. Surrounding that site are many workshops of the local artists.

The countryside surrounding Foshan city retains much of its traditional south Chinese rural characteristics.

Foshan Ancestral Temple

• Foshan Ancestral Temple
• Dong Hua Li (东华里)
• Qing Hui Garden
• Renshou Pagoda
• Folk Arts & Crafts Center
• Pottery & Ceramics Guild
• Statue of Guan Yin on Mount Xiqiao

Notable people[link]

• Wong Fei Hung (1847–1924), legendary martial art master and healer.
• Kang Youwei (1858–1927), late Qing Dynasty political reformist campaigning for a constitutional monarchy in China.
• Yip Man (1893–1972), Wing Chun martial art master, sifu of Bruce Lee.
• Bruce Lee's ancestral hometowns include Shunde, a district of Foshan.
• Thierry Breton, former French finance Minister, was made "honorary citizen of Foshan" in 2000.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Foshan

• Government website of Foshan (Chinese) and (English)
• Map of Foshan (Chinese)

v t e Pearl River Delta Region Pearl River Delta Economic Zone Guangdong Province Guangzhou • Shenzhen • Zhuhai (Hengqin New Area) • Dongguan • Zhongshan • Foshan • Jiangmen • Huizhou (Huicheng • Huidong • Boluo) • Zhaoqing (Sihui • Gaoyao) Special Administrative Region  Hong Kong •  Macau

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since November 2010. The notability of this article's subject is in question. If notability cannot be established, it may be listed for deletion or removed. Tagged since August 2009. It may need to be wikified to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Tagged since March 2011.

Ip Ching is a Grandmaster of the Chinese Martial Art Wing Chun, one of five still living Grandmasters of the Ip Man (Yip Man) family of Wing Chun Gung Fu.

Biography[link]

Ip Ching (Ip Hok Ching Chinese 葉學正 ^[1] )(born in Foshan, China in 1936) is the second eldest son of Yip Man. At a young age Ip Ching started his training along with his brother Ip Chun, under his master Yip Man (also his father). However this was short lived as his father had to leave and travel to Hong Kong in search of a better life for his family. In 1962 Ip Ching and his older brother Ip Chun were reunited with their father in Hong Kong. Ip Ching resumed his training under Ip Man’s direct guidance. Yip Man taught from his home and today this is where Ip Ching resides. As well as learning Wing Chun at his father’s home Ip Ching also was an avid observer of his father teaching other students. In turn gaining valuable insight on his father’s teaching methods. In 1972 Grand Master Yip Man died. Ip Ching continued teaching whilst running a manufacturing business. In 1994 he retired from his work and decided to open his doors to full time, teaching Wing Chun across the globe.

References[link]

• http://www.thewingchunschool.com/html/GMIC.htm
• http://www.kwokwingchun.co.uk/
• http://www.wckfc.com/

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since April 2008. It includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Tagged since December 2010. The notability of this article's subject is in question. If notability cannot be established, it may be listed for deletion or removed. Tagged since December 2010.

Samuel Kwok
Born	1948 Hong Kong
Residence	Blackpool, UK
Other names	Sam Kwok
Occupation	Martial arts practitioner

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Samuel Kwok

Samuel Kwok is a martial arts practitioner and teacher in the Chinese art of Wing Chun.^[1]

Biography[link]

Samuel Kwok was born in Hong Kong in 1948, the son of a Church Minister. His interest in the martial arts started at an early age, his first experience was in White Crane Kung Fu, under the guidance of his uncle Luk Chi Fu. His Wing Chun training first started in 1967 under Chan Wai Ling in Hong Kong.

In 1972 Samuel Kwok came to the UK to study psychiatric nursing and pursue a new life. Living in London then, he went to the Church of Reverend Kao, he told him about one of the members of the congregation, a Wing Chun teacher called Lee Sing, who started teaching Samuel Kwok in 1973.

In 1978 he returned to Hong Kong in hope to find the true source of Wing Chun. Samuel Kwok was introduced to Ip Chun by Lee Sing; who at the time was joining the Ip Man Martial Arts Association. It was during a second meeting with Ip Chun that he offered to teach Samuel Kwok the Wooden Dummy techniques, realizing that he was being given a great honour he accepted. At this time, Ip Chun was only teaching part time.

For the next few years Samuel Kwok had private tuition from Ip Chun, and after gaining Master level in Wing Chun, he opened his first school in Hong Kong. It was not long before his students began making a name for themselves at tournaments and demonstrations in the colony.

When returning to the UK in 1981, he was appointed chairman and senior overseas representative of the Ip Chun Martial Art Association by Grandmaster Ip Chun.

Having settled in the UK, Master Kwok started to teach Wing Chun privately but later he opened his first school after great demand from several martial arts enthusiasts. In his bid to promote Traditional Wing Chun and his Si-Fu, in 1981 Master Kwok held the first of many seminars in the UK for Grandmaster Ip Chun.

In 1991 Master Kwok invited both Grandmasters Ip Chun and Ip Ching to the UK, to held their first joint seminars across the country. This was the first visit to the UK by Grandmaster Ip Ching.

In 1994 Master Kwok returned to Hong Kong to study with Grandmaster Ip Ching. Also In 1994 Master Kwok and Master Steve Lee Swift from New York helped to organize some very successful seminars in America, taught by Grandmaster Ip Chun.

In 1995 once again Grandmaster Ip Ching was invited by Master Kwok to the UK, to conduct several seminars across the country, but this time he was accompanied by Grandmaster Chu Shong Tin, one of the first students in Hong Kong of the late Grandmaster Ip Man.

Also in 1995 the two famous brothers Grandmaster Ip Chun and Ip Ching visited Chicago to teach together for the first time in America. Again, this visit was arranged and assisted by Master Samuel Kwok.

The Samuel Kwok Wing Chun Martial Art Association has now grown to become one of the largest Kung Fu organizations in the country. With students in Europe, U.S.A., South Africa and Australia; it has now become international. Although Master Kwok has many students teaching for him, he has always remained faithful to true Wing Chun tradition and still teaches classes personally.

In 1998 Master Samuel Kwok received a BA honour from Manchester University for his lifetime achievement and promotion of Martial Arts. Today Master Kwok is constantly promoting Wing Chun across the world by conducting and organizing seminars, competitions, demonstrations, books,^[2] videos and helping the B.C.C.M.A. promote Chinese Martial Arts. He also helps to arrange tours and training in Hong Kong with Grandmaster Ip Ching for his students, showing that like himself he wants his students to benefit from this great master first hand.

Lineage[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Samuel Kwok's Homepage
• Ip Ching's Homepage
• Ip Chun's Homepage
• Samuel Kwok Website Brazil

Tracy McGrady

Tracy McGrady during his tenure with the Rockets.
No. 1 – Atlanta Hawks
Shooting guard/Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1979-05-24) May 24, 1979 (age 33) Bartow, Florida
Nationality	American
High school	Auburndale High School (Auburndale, Florida) Mount Zion Christian Academy (Durham, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1997 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th overall
Selected by the Toronto Raptors
Pro career	1997–present
Career history
1997–2000	Toronto Raptors
2000–2004	Orlando Magic
2004–2010	Houston Rockets
2010	New York Knicks
2010–2011	Detroit Pistons
2011–present	Atlanta Hawks
Career highlights and awards
NBA Most Improved Player (2001) 7× NBA All-Star (2001–2007) 2× NBA Scoring Champion (2003–2004) 2× All-NBA First Team (2002–2003) 3× All-NBA Second Team (2001, 2004, 2007) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2005, 2008)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr. (born May 24, 1979) is an American professional basketball player with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.

Entering the league after graduating from high school, McGrady eventually became a seven-time All-Star. He led the league in scoring in 2003 and 2004. He has also played for the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, and Detroit Pistons. McGrady was ranked on SLAM Magazine's "Top 75 Players of All-Time" in 2003. McGrady's style of play has been compared to that of George Gervin.^[1]

Early years[link]

Tracy McGrady played high school basketball at Auburndale High School in Auburndale, Florida for three years. He then transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy, in Durham, North Carolina. McGrady created a national buzz after his performance in the Adidas ABCD Camp, where the best high school players in the U.S. are invited annually. He was named High School Player of the Year by USA Today. McGrady has stated that if he had not gone straight to the NBA from high school, he would have attended Kentucky.^[2]

NBA career[link]

Toronto Raptors (1997–2000)[link]

McGrady was drafted ninth overall in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors.

In McGrady's first two seasons with the Raptors, he averaged less than 10 points per game, mainly coming off the bench. In his second season, he began playing alongside his third cousin, Vince Carter. The 1999–2000 season was McGrady's first breakout season in the NBA. He was a starter in 34 games out of 79, averaging 15.4 points per game, and a career-high 1.9 blocks per game. McGrady also competed in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, finishing third, behind Carter and Steve Francis.

In 2000, the duo of McGrady and Carter helped lead the Raptors to the playoffs, for the first time in franchise history. However, the team was swept 3–0 by the New York Knicks in the first round. McGrady was often overshadowed by Carter during his time in Toronto, and he became a free agent in the summer of 2000. In the off-season, he expressed interest in playing for family and friends in his home state of Florida.

Orlando Magic (2000–2004)[link]

On August 3, 2000, McGrady was dealt to the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade deal for a first round pick. In Orlando, he played alongside Grant Hill, who had been acquired that summer in hope of bringing Orlando back among the Eastern Conference's elite teams. However, an ankle injury limited Hill to only 4 games and McGrady became the leader and 1st scoring option of the team. For the first time in his career McGrady was selected as an All-Star when he was voted by the fans to start in the midseason classic for the Eastern Conference. At season's end he was presented with the 2001 NBA Most Improved Player Award. Even though McGrady had elevated his game from solid contributor to star, the Magic were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks.

The following season, McGrady continued his great play. With Hill struggling with injuries, the Magic were once again a one-man show. He made his second All-Star team and First Team All-NBA while averaging 26 points per game. The Magic posted a 44–38 record for the year but they were beat again in the first round of the playoffs, this time by the Charlotte Hornets.

In the 2002–03 season, McGrady averaged 32.1 points per game and captured the NBA scoring title, becoming the youngest player to do so since the ABA-NBA merger. Despite McGrady's personal accolades, the Magic failed to reach the second round of the playoffs. In a rather infamous moment, during the 2003 NBA Playoffs, the Magic (who were an #8 seed) surprisingly took a 3–1 series lead against the heavily favored #1 seed Detroit Pistons. Prior to the fifth game in Detroit, McGrady was quoted as saying that how wonderful it was to "finally be in the position to advance to the second round (of the playoffs)". Orlando, however, lost Games 5, 6, and 7 by an average of more than 20 points, and Detroit advanced to the second round.

In the 2003–04 season, he once again captured the NBA scoring title, averaging 28 points per game, and set a career high with 62 points against the Washington Wizards at the TD Waterhouse Centre on March 10, 2004. With this performance, he became the fourth player in the past 12 years to score over 60 points in a game.

Houston Rockets (2004–2010)[link]

In 2004, McGrady joined the Houston Rockets.

On June 29, 2004, McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, and Reece Gaines were traded to the Houston Rockets in a seven-player deal that sent Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato to the Magic. Though it was initially viewed as a fair trade by spectators, it has since been looked at as one of the more lopsided trades in NBA history, as McGrady was selected to multiple All-Star games while Orlando traded Francis after less than two seasons.^[3] In his first year with the Houston Rockets, McGrady teamed with 7' 6" center Yao Ming, to form one of the more potent duos in the Western Conference.

The Rockets first season with McGrady started off slowly as they struggled to find a compatible point guard to play with McGrady's skill set in the backcourt. The solution was found when Bob Sura, who was returning from an injury, played well enough to earn the starting PG job. The Rockets traded Tyronn Lue for Jon Barry for 3-point shooting off the bench. The Rockets also acquired David Wesley from the Hornets to bolster their backcourt defense, particularly on smaller guards. With these new trades, McGrady was moved to SF, with a starting lineup of Bob Sura, David Wesley, Juwan Howard, and Yao Ming. The Rockets then ran the offense through McGrady, utilized the inside game of Yao, and used the perimeter game of Howard's baseline jumper and 3-point shooting effectively. On December 9, 2004, he scored 13 points in the last 35 seconds of a game against the San Antonio Spurs, with four consecutive 3 pointers (one of which was part of a four-point play), including a steal and the game-winning 3 pointer with 1.7 seconds left in the game that helped the Rockets win 81–80.^[4][5] The Rockets finished the 2004–05 season 51–31 as the 5th seed in the playoffs.

McGrady shooting over Wizards guard Deshawn Stevenson.

Despite McGrady's stellar play in the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs where he averaged 30.7 ppg, 6.7 apg, and 7.4 rpg, Houston was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in game seven by 40 points, despite having a 2–0 lead to start the series. McGrady missed 6 of his first 7 shots in Game 7 and the Rockets were never able to match the intensity of the Dallas Mavericks. McGrady's signature moment in the Dallas playoffs series was in Game 2, where he blew past Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki and dunked over Dallas center Shawn Bradley, who is 7' 6". In that game, McGrady also hit the game winner for a 113-111 win.

In the early 2005–06 season, McGrady missed eight games because of multiple back spasms. His back problems resurfaced on January 8, 2006 when he had to be taken out at halftime in a game against the Denver Nuggets on a stretcher to the hospital because of severe back spasms. He had been out for five games. Since his return, the spasms have still been a problem for McGrady. In the 2005–06 season the Rockets were 2–15 in games he did not play in and 2–16 in games McGrady did not finish. While McGrady was injured for five games with his back injury, the Rockets did not win a single game. Other injuries include him falling on his back in a game against the Indiana Pacers. Despite his back injuries, McGrady was voted into the 2006 All-Star Game in Houston. His western conference teammates constantly put the ball in his hands to put him in contention for the All-Star MVP award in front of his Houston home crowd. A controversy resulted in the final minute when McGrady attempted a jump shot that would have given the West the lead and control of the game. Replays showed LeBron James, who was guarding McGrady appearing to make contact with McGrady's elbow, causing the shot attempt to fall way short of the basket. However, no foul was whistled, the East won, and LeBron James was named All-Star MVP.

McGrady posting up on Caron Butler.

In the 2006–07 season, McGrady started out slowly, and after missing 7 games with back spasms he visited a doctor. In an interview with TNT, McGrady said that he thought that his body was slowing down. He believed that he could no longer be as explosive as he was in the past due to his back injury. Shortly after another bout with back spasms, McGrady went to Waco, Texas where Dr. John Patterson performed "Synergy Release Therapy" to cure his chronic back problems, particularly the back spasms.^[6] However, since Yao Ming was having another breakout season, he was deferring to Yao as the number one option.^[7] Since Yao went down with a leg injury, McGrady stepped up his overall play, re-establishing himself as one of the game's premier players and by doing so led Houston to the 5th best record in the league. On December 29, 2006, he became the third youngest player in NBA history to reach 14,000 points and 4,000 rebounds.^[8] However, in the playoffs, the Rockets lost their first round series to the Utah Jazz 4–3, again preventing McGrady from advancing to the second round of the playoffs. Prior to the series with the Jazz, McGrady had stated in an interview with Stephen A. Smith that if he and the Rockets failed to make it out of the first round again, it was "on me".^[9] At his post-game press conference following the game 7 defeat, McGrady, still visibly emotional from the loss, said "I tried, man, I tried." ^[10]

After the 2006–07 season, following the Rockets first round playoff defeat, Jeff Van Gundy was fired as head coach by Rockets management. Rick Adelman was hired as head coach as Rockets owner Leslie Alexander wanted a more uptempo offense to utilize the offensive skill set of Yao and McGrady.

The 2007–08 season for the Rockets was decimated by injuries, most notable Yao Ming being placed on injured reserve in February. Incredibly, the Rockets won 22 straight games (10 without Yao). The Rockets finished as the 5th seed in the West and earned a rematch with the Utah Jazz. However, by the time playoffs came, McGrady was already nursing shoulder and knee injuries as he had bandages placed on his shoulder and his knee throughout the playoff series. McGrady took pain-killing injections in and had fluid drained from both his shoulder and knee to allow him to play.^[11][12][13] The Jazz again eliminated the Rockets in six games, despite McGrady recording 40 points and 10 rebounds in the decisive Game Six, a 113–91 loss.^[14]

In May 2008, McGrady underwent arthroscopic surgery on both his left shoulder and left knee.^[15]

On February 18, 2009, McGrady announced on his website that he would have surgery on his left knee and would miss the remainder of the 2008–09 season. He had already missed 18 games before the All-Star break, including a two-week stretch in January, and said before the season that his knee was not healed from his off-season surgery. Head coach Rick Adelman, who found out about the announcement when he read the newspaper in the morning, criticized McGrady for not informing the team of the decision.^[16] He decided to have microfracture surgery in Chicago on February 24, 2009. The cartilage damage to be repaired by the microfracture surgery was in a small area on a non-weight-bearing surface, and the rest of his knee was otherwise healthy, according to the team doctor.^[13][17]

Despite McGrady being on injured reserve, the Rockets beat the Trail Blazers 4–2 in the first round of the playoffs to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997. The Rockets would compete in a memorable series against the eventual NBA champion LA Lakers, before losing Game 7 in LA. Since McGrady was on the Rockets' roster during the 2009 NBA Playoffs, he officially advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in his career.

McGrady only played in six games with the Rockets during the 2009–10 season, all in limited minutes as a reserve due to injuries, before being traded to the New York Knicks in February.

New York Knicks (2010)[link]

McGrady with the New York Knicks

On February 18, 2010, McGrady was traded to the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade involving Houston, New York, and the Sacramento Kings.^[18] On February 20, 2010, McGrady made his debut for the Knicks against the Oklahoma City Thunder,^[19] to a sold-out Madison Square Garden, amid many "We Want T-Mac!" chants.^[20][21] He scored 26 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished 5 assists in 32 minutes of play as New York lost in overtime.^[22] This was McGrady's first game since December 23, 2009 against the Orlando Magic.^[23] His first win as a member of the Knicks came six days later, in a 23-point effort against the Washington Wizards.^[24]

Detroit Pistons (2010–2011)[link]

On August 16, 2010, McGrady signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Pistons.^[25] On December 7, 2010, McGrady returned to Houston for the first time to a mixture of applause and boos from the home crowd and scored 11 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and dished 3 assists in a 97-83 loss.^[26] On January 14, 2011, McGrady scored a season-high of 22 points in a 101-95 win over the Toronto Raptors. McGrady averaged 8.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 23.4 minutes for the Pistons but they failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Atlanta Hawks (2011–present)[link]

On December 7, 2011, ESPN reported that McGrady agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks for the veteran minimum.^[27] In his debut as a Hawk, McGrady finished with 12 points, 2 rebounds, a steal and a block in less than 20 minutes of action in a 106-70 blowout win over the New Jersey Nets. Less than a week later, on January 2, 2012, McGrady scored 13 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter of a game against the then-undefeated Miami Heat, to lead the Hawks to a comeback victory.^[28] Over the season, he averaged a career-low 5.3 points per game in 16 minutes per game.

Off the court[link]

Personal life[link]

McGrady has four children—daughters Layla Clarice, Laycee Aloe, and sons Laymen Lamar, Layden—with his wife CleRenda Harris, whom he had dated for 10 years. Their first son was born on December 27, 2005 during a 82–74 loss against the Utah Jazz in which McGrady left during halftime to see his girlfriend going into labor.^[29] The couple were married on September 12, 2006 in Mexico. McGrady and Vince Carter are third cousins; McGrady learned that his grandmother and Carter's grandmother were cousins at a family reunion while he was still in high school and Carter played at the University of North Carolina.^[30] The two played together with the Toronto Raptors for two years before McGrady left for free agency. After McGrady left, he and Carter had a feud, but this was resolved in a short period of time.^[31]

Tracy's younger brother, Chancellor "Chance" McGrady, played for the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Runner-Up Memphis Tigers basketball team.^[32]

In 2008, McGrady was criticized for his comments on the All-Star game being held in New Orleans, only 3 years removed from the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. McGrady publicly questioned the quality of public safety and protection of NBA players.^[33]

Upon retirement, Tracy has stated that he plans on focusing his efforts on the two companies that he currently runs. The first is a bottled water company in Florida, called BLUE04. The second is a technology company based in Washington DC, called Dasdak.^[34]

Endorsements[link]

In 2002, McGrady signed a longterm partnership with Adidas, agreeing to an endorsement deal that will last through his playing career and beyond.^[35] He also appeared on the cover of NBA Live 07.

Philanthropy[link]

McGrady has traveled to the Darfurian refugee camps in Chad with John Prendergast and Omer Ismail of the ENOUGH Project. McGrady is actively recruiting NBA players to support a sister schools initiative linking schools in Darfurian refugee camps to American middle schools, high schools and universities.^[36]

In 2009, McGrady changed his jersey number to #3. He made the switch to promote his humanitarian efforts in the Darfur region of the Sudan and a documentary on his summer 2007 visits to refugee camps in the region. The documentary is called 3 Points.^[37] However, he went back to wearing # 1 when he joined the Pistons.

USA career[link]

Medal record
Men’s basketball
Competitor for  United States
FIBA Americas Championship
Gold	2003 San Juan	Team competition

He was a member of the United States men's national basketball team in the 2003 Tournament of the Americas where the USA team won the tournament and qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics. He was invited to the Olympics but did not attend.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

NBA career achievements[link]

• 2× NBA Scoring Champion: 2003 (32.1), 2004 (28.0)
• 7× NBA All-Star: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
• 7× All-NBA:

• First Team: 2002, 2003
• Second Team: 2001, 2004, 2007
• Third Team: 2005, 2008

• NBA Most Improved Player Award: 2001

Orlando Magic franchise records[link]

• Most points in one game with 62 (March 10, 2004 vs. Washington Wizards)
• Most points in one half with 37 in the first half (March 9, 2003 vs. Denver Nuggets)
• Most points in one quarter with 25 in the second quarter (March 9, 2003 vs. Denver Nuggets)
• Most points in a playoff game with 46 (Tied, Dwight Howard; in Game 2 of the 2003 Eastern Conference playoffs, First Round vs. Detroit Pistons)
• Most three-point field goals made in one half with 8 (January 26, 2004 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers)

See also[link]

• List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season
• List of National Basketball Association players with 60 or more points in a game

References[link]