Are Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter Cousins?

The NBA world, while large, is a relatively small bubble. Only a few players have ever made it to the league, with even fewer actually sticking around. Despite that, a couple of professional athletes do know each other on a personal level. Some are even related.

To look at one such example, the following guide breaks down the relationship between Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. The two might be related, but their connection isn’t as clear or as easy to understand as it first might seem.

A Family Affair

There are quite a few relatives who made it to the NBA, which is surprising given just how few people have ever played in the league. Still, as it takes so much athleticism to make it, it does make sense that players with similar genetics would all have a strong shot.

McGrady and Carter are both incredibly skilled and supremely athletic, but that’s not necessarily a result of their bloodline.

Carter’s grandmother’s father-in-law is McGrady’s grandmother’s brother. That might be a confusing connection, but it means that Carter and McGrady are second cousins. Though the marriage link does exist, Carter and McGrady did not know about it until later in life.

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A Late Finding

Carter was born on the 26th of January in 1977, while McGrady was born two years later on May 24th, 1979. Though they both grew up in Florida, their families did not interconnect or spend any time together. They only heard about each other through their talent in the basketball world.

While Carter is two years older than McGrady, he ended up in the NBA after him. That’s because T-Mac committed to the league straight from high school, where Carter ended up taking extra time in college. Even so, both were drafted by the Raptors in consecutive years.

They didn’t figure out about their relatedness until McGrady was about to be drafted. At a family reunion, McGrady’s grandmother let him know that he and Carter were from the same family tree. The rest, as they say, is history.

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Connecting the League

McGrady and Carter aren’t blood related, but they are yet another example of two high profile players sharing a familial connection. There are quite a few relatives who came up together, especially in today’s NBA.

Seth and Stephen Curry are perhaps the most famous examples, with both brothers having real impacts on their teams for multiple years, but Giannis and his two brothers are also all in the league, as are LaMelo and Lonzo Ball. There are a few lower profile pairs as well.

Aaron, Jrue, and Justin Holiday are all in the league, while Caleb and Cody Martin play for the Heat and the Hornets respectively. Juancho Henangomez plays for the Celtics, while his brother Willy is on the Pelicans.

That list shows that, while it is rare (with only a few siblings ever making it to the NBA) it does happen more than many would think. Getting to the NBA is an impressive feat in its own right, but getting there with a sibling (or a cousin) is even more impressive.

Putting a bow on a family reunion

While it may seem odd for such a small pool, there have been plenty of related NBA players over the years. McGrady and Carter are a more unique example, but they still count.

Both show, not just how coincidences do happen, but that good genes never fall too far from the tree.