McGrady (l) would most likely step away from his broadcasting role with ESPNNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Basketball HOFer Tracy McGrady and former NBAer Jermaine O'Neal said that they "plan to open a player representation agency this fall" called Seven1 Sports Group & Entertainment, according to Marc Stein of the N.Y. TIMES. The name is a "mash-up" of their jersey numbers from their NBA careers. McGrady and O'Neal said that they were "secure financially but felt a pull to forge a new path in their post-playing careers after discussing the matter regularly over the past two years." Their talks "intensified over the past four months while they were mostly limited to their homes because of the coronavirus pandemic." McGrady and O'Neal thought about "how they could help young players, particularly young Black players, the most." McGrady said that he "would serve as a co-owner and adviser to players and most likely step away from the broadcasting role he has had for the past four and a half seasons with ESPN." O'Neal intends to take the NBPA test in January to become a "registered NBA agent and hold partner status alongside McGrady." McGrady and O'Neal said that they "hoped to recruit players entering the 2021 NBA draft and players already in the league." O'Neal said that he and McGrady were "in the process of hiring 'seasoned partners,' including a few 'old-school pitbulls,' to make up for what they lacked in representation know-how" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/19).
