Monday 20 July 2020 19:21, UK
Former NBA All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O'Neal are launching a player representation agency, which will focus on serving young black players.
The agency will be called Seven1 Sports Group and Entertainment, Marc Stein of the New York Times reported.
"We think it's needed, and we have a passion for it," McGrady said.
"We're around kids every single day because we have youth programs. It just makes sense. We see the lack of information that these kids are getting, so we would be doing a disservice to our people if we don't lend our expertise of what we know and help guide them. This is a calling that we have."
McGrady, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017, said he probably will leave his job with ESPN to concentrate on his duties with the agency.
The report said O'Neal, 41, plans to take the test required to become a registered NBA agent early next year and then assume full partnership with McGrady.
The duo, who are both aged 41, went straight from high school to the NBA and were first-round draft picks - O'Neal in 1996 and McGrady the following year.
The NBA is hoping to reinstate the rule that will allow high school players to go straight into the NBA, an option that was eliminated in 2006.
O'Neal played 18 seasons and earned six All-Star selections. McGrady played 15 seasons and was a seven-time All-Star and two-time scoring champ.
