Tracy McGrady impresses hitters

By Stu White | Feb 11, 2014

May 10, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Chad Forcier (left) defends against shooting guard Tracy McGrady (1, right) during warm ups before game three of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Former NBA superstar Tracy McGrady threw to hitters for the first time on Monday.

While it’s too early to get the people from the Cy Young committee on the phone, the initial reviews of McGrady’s performance were positive.

Barrett Barnes, a minor league outfielder in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, told KRIV-TV that McGrady looked strong out on the mound:

"He’s so tall and his arms are so long. His downward slope, you’re not going to see that too often. When you have a presence like that on the mound, it’s really hard to settle in and be comfortable hitting. Say his [velocity] is 87, but with his arms and his body, it feels like it’s 90-91. His velo might [be] lower, but it feels like it gets on you way faster (ESPN)."

While the two batters McGrady pitched to Monday were instructed not to swing, the former NBA All-Star is slated to face some live hitters next week.

[Source: ESPN]

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