5 NBA Players who retired too early

#2 Tracy McGrady

Tracy McGrady was arguably on his way to greatness

Tracy McGrady is a player who often gets the "what if" treatment. Fans often ask what he would have become if he remained healthy. Sadly, we will never know.

McGrady started his career with the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors selected him with the ninth pick of the 1997 draft. McGrady was a kid out of high-school (Mount Zion Christian Academy) with unique abilities. The Raptors picked McGrady and his cousin Vince Carter a few years later, and the two players formed a duo for a few years before splitting up in 2000. McGrady signed with the Orlando Magic, and Carter remained with the Raptors.

During his time with the Raptors, McGrady played well. Despite averaging seven points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in his first season, his stats improved each year. By his third season, McGrady averaged 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. T-Mac's stats were solid, but it wasn't until his move to Orlando that he truly flourished.

In his first season with the Magic, McGrady averaged 26.8 points,7.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. His performance in this season led to him winning Most Improved Player. Then, he took off from there.

McGrady was a scoring machine that could score at will. He was a naturally gifted offensive player, and his time with Orlando reflected that. He led the league in scoring for two straight seasons. He was a scoring champion in 2003 when he averaged a career-high 32.1 points and again in 2004 when he averaged 28 points.

For the most part, McGrady stayed healthy in his time with Orlando. Then, as he went to the Rockets, injuries became a factor.

In 2004, the Magic traded McGrady in exchange for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato. McGrady played well for the Rockets but both his stats and games played per season started slowly declining. By the 2009-10 season, McGrady played six games with the Rockets (while recovering from surgery) and 24 games with the Knicks.

The Rockets traded him in a three-team deal that sent him to New York. He played with them before signing with the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks in the next two seasons.

McGrady also had a brief stint in China but did not officially retire. Shortly after his stint in China, he signed with the San Antonio Spurs just in time for their playoff run. The Spurs reached the NBA Finals that year but lost to the Miami Heat. Later that summer (in 2013), McGrady officially announced his retirement. He retired at the age of 34.

McGrady was a talented player, and if he stayed healthy, he could have been one of the greats.