Throwing Elbows, Getting Diarrhea, And Losing Eight Straight: Tracy McGrady Is Not Enjoying China

Here is a picture of Tracy McGrady from Alexander Chernykh, who helpfully adds the context that Tracy McGrady's Chinese team—the Qingdao Double Star Eagles—are 0-8, and fired their coach two games into the season. Though McGrady suggested, in an exclusive interview with ESPN's chief Dancing With The Stars correspondent Lynn Hoppes, that he "couldn't be happier" that he wasn't able to catch on with an NBA team at age 33, McGrady's trip to China hasn't been all roses.

First, McGrady had to flee the court because he had to use the bathroom—a YouTuber (video at that link) suggests it's because he has diarrhea and, considering that he runs off the court right from the deadball, without even asking for sub, it was no surprise when a Qingdao staffer admitted McGrady's "stomach wasn't feeling very well." Beijing Cream notes the building was freezing cold—"a circuit malfunction cut off all heat"—and that the Double Star Eagles lost by 30.

Then Friday saw McGrady getting threes rained in his face, getting taunted, and throwing elbows in response. His team dropped that one, too.

Today? The South China Morning Post has a report titled, "Doubts grow over Tracy McGrady's future as Eagles flop," and says that despite McGrady's fame—he told Hoppes, "[Fans in China] treat me like a rock star"—"home crowds are beginning to dwindle."

Media are now openly questioning whether McGrady, known as "Mai Di", will stick it out in China, despite game averages of 24.3 points and 5.6 rebounds.

"Winning games is not easy, will he lose confidence?" said a headline in Shandong's Peninsula Metropolitan Daily.

"Eight years ago McGrady scored 13 points in 35 seconds, eight years later he has seven straight losses," the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily said. "How can he stand it?"

Now it's 8 straight losses, and the above picture in which Tracy McGrady contemplates the twists and turns that took him to the worst team in China and, perhaps, tries to suppress some diarrhea. He looks exactly like Sad Keanu Reeves. Good luck, Tracy.