Tracy McGrady knows how long his journey has been. The NBA legend thought back to humble beginnings this week as he looked forward to his next chapter.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e talking about a kid that鈥檚 come from some challenging upbringings,鈥 McGrady said.
In elementary school back home in Florida, McGrady woke himself up, got himself dressed, made his own breakfast and walked to school. When he came home, there was no one there. His family was all at work.
鈥淎nd that was like that for my whole childhood 鈥 just really raising myself, really, in those days,鈥 McGrady said.
But as McGrady carved out his path, he set his sights higher than just a prolific NBA career. He thought about one day owning his own team.
鈥淚n my wildest dreams, yeah (I envisioned this), because this was a dream,鈥 McGrady said. 鈥淭he dream to play professional basketball and when that dream became a reality, I told my agent that at some point in my career I wanted to own a sports franchise 鈥 whether that was Major League Baseball, because I鈥檓 involved in that, whether it鈥檚 an NBA franchise or NFL.鈥
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鈥淚n my wildest dreams, yeah (I envisioned this), because this was a dream,鈥 NBA legend Tracy McGrady said of his goal to one day own a sports franchise.
In December, McGrady鈥檚 dream came true by way of the Buffalo Bills.
On Dec. 11, the Bills and owner Terry Pegula confirmed the addition of 10 limited partners to the ownership group, marking the first time in franchise history that the team has had minority owners.
Those 10 include McGrady, Vince Carter and Jozy Altidore 鈥 all former professional athletes who competed at the highest level in Toronto.
McGrady and Carter, who are cousins, overlapped for three seasons on the Toronto Raptors, with their combined span going from 1997 to 2004 in Toronto. Among a long list of accolades, both are members of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Altidore cemented his legacy as a premier American soccer player with the U.S. Men鈥檚 National Team and Major League Soccer鈥檚 Toronto FC. Starting during his playing days, he also built up his r茅sum茅 as an entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Each a legend in his own rights, McGrady, Carter and Altidore represent an innovative new chapter for the Bills ownership group, as the three try to serve an example for other former athletes who want to make the bridge into becoming team partners.
All three wore Bills gear as they met with Buffalo media over Zoom on Friday. They covered topics ranging from their initial talks with Terry Pegula to golfing with Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
One significant layer of their investment is the representation that comes with it.
Carter gave a shoutout during the news conference to tennis icons Venus and Serena Williams, who in 2009 became the first Black women to become minority investors in an NFL team, the Miami Dolphins.
鈥淭hey kind of broke that barrier for tennis athletes,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淎nd I think now, full-circle, we鈥檙e getting that opportunity as male Black athletes that are from a different sport. So, I just think it鈥檚 just a cool opportunity.
鈥淒iversity and inclusion is a thing and something that organizations and businesses are trying to accomplish. And we were kind of in the forefront of that on this side.鈥
NFL league data from 2023 found that among all 32 teams, the total NFL ownership group was made up of 35% women and 10% people of color.
鈥淭his is a big deal,鈥 McGrady said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 cool that we鈥檙e investing in Buffalo Bills, it鈥檚 cool investing in an NFL franchise. But this is inspiring to so many people that look like us, because of the past history and what鈥檚 been said in media, and all that stuff about diversity, inclusion in sports ownership.
鈥淚 think for us, this is a barometer for us to do our jobs and be a stand-in for the next phase of ownership, whether it鈥檚 minority, whether it鈥檚 majority, whether it鈥檚 individual owning (outright) a franchise, it鈥檚 up to us to really carry this the right way and setting example for the next people that鈥檚 coming along.鈥
Carter looked back at his time running basketball camps, during which he would try to instill life lessons into participants. Treating others right and managing your opportunities can present new ventures, Carter said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just young Black kids and Black girls or whatever; it鈥檚 for all kids,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 possible if you do it the right way. You have to go about it the right way and get young kids to understand to look in the future. You set your goals and how do you go about it?鈥
A goal for the three former athletes is to expand the Bills鈥 presence in nearby Toronto.
鈥淭hat鈥檒l be the next step in all this,鈥 Altidore said. 鈥淎nd I think that鈥檒l be the really fun part.鈥
As Altidore grew to know Bills fans during his Toronto days, he recalled 鈥渢housands of people鈥 who didn鈥檛 have tickets but traveled to Orchard Park for Bills games, 鈥渢hat just wanted to be a part of the tailgate.鈥
鈥淭hat was for me realizing, 鈥榃ow, what an organization, what a fanfare,鈥欌 Altidore said. 鈥淎nd to kind of see that and watch that grow for myself and watch it around me, just in the time I was there, the fanfare went from here to like through the roof.鈥
The ties between Toronto athletes go much further back. Carter recalls building a relationship with Bills legends.
鈥淏ack in the day, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith used to come to our games and sit courtside and watch us,鈥 Carter said.
The plan now is for the new owners to spin their legacy forward.
鈥淲ell, if you look at the three guys here, we鈥檝e accomplished a lot in that market,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淥ur names are thrown around. It鈥檚 recognized. So, I think the partnership between the Bills and what we鈥檝e done in Toronto can now marry this group together. And I鈥檓 hoping that we create new fans for the Bills, not only just because of what we鈥檝e accomplished, but now they tend to open their eyes to the Bills and see what they鈥檙e doing.
鈥淎nd what better time to become the Bills fan than right now, with what Josh (Allen) is doing, what the team is doing?鈥
