McGrady Pivots OBL to Team Model, Secures Bills Stake

Bloomberg Originals

NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady leverages his international network and NFL ownership experience to revamp the Ones Basketball League into a city-versus-city team concept backed by NexGen Sports.

AI-assisted summary of Tracy McGrady Always Dreamed of Being an Owner | The Deal With Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2026-06-21

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by Bloomberg Originals on May 28, 2026, this episode of 'The Deal' features hosts Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly interviewing NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady. According to the page description, the episode covers McGrady's journey to becoming an NFL owner, the way the 1990s revolutionized basketball, and his return to NBA coverage as an analyst for NBC.

## TL;DR Tracy McGrady details his transition from jumping straight out of high school into NBA stardom to becoming a savvy global businessman and sports team owner. He reflects on learning international business at Davos, securing a minority ownership stake in the Buffalo Bills alongside Vince Carter, and analyzing the game for NBC's basketball coverage. McGrady also highlights how Michael Jordan and China transformed basketball into a global industry, shares stories of mentorship with Kobe Bryant, and outlines the expansion of his own venture, the Ones Basketball League (OBL).

## Atmosphere & style The conversation is warm, collegial, and deeply grounded in mutual respect between high school-to-pro athletic icons. Hosted in a relaxed yet insightful talk-show setting, the dynamic balances candid storytelling about money, business, and failure with lighthearted banter about rivalry, baseball, and brotherhood. It carries an inspirational, reflective mood that feels less like a corporate interview and more like a high-level peer exchange among elite athletes navigating the worlds of media and sports ownership.

## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=0s) Tracy McGrady, who jumped straight from high school into the NBA, learned personal finance and global business through continuous self-awareness, desire to grow, and real-world networking opportunities. - [01:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=69s) Attending the World Economic Forum in Davos helped McGrady broaden his perspective on international business and leverage his long-standing business ties in Asian markets. - [03:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=193s) McGrady achieved his goal of professional sports team ownership by acquiring a minority stake in the NFL's Buffalo Bills alongside his cousin and former teammate Vince Carter. - [05:29](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=329s) Sports team ownership provides value beyond asset appreciation by opening exclusive, high-level business circles and strategic networking opportunities with other influential investors. - [10:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=640s) McGrady and Vince Carter turned their long-standing personal dynamic and natural conversations into business ventures, including a shared podcast and joining the 'NBA on NBC' broadcast panel. - [13:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=798s) Basketball's expansion into a global business was paved by 1990s icons, leading to massive international fandom and economic opportunities in markets like China. - [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=900s) Mentorship from Kobe Bryant provided crucial emotional and mental support during McGrady's difficult rookie season, helping him navigate the transition from high school to the pros. - [17:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1020s) McGrady founded the Ones Basketball League (OBL) to create a platform for undiscovered talent, inspired by how his own breakout performance at the ABCD Camp launched his professional career. - [19:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1174s) After facing early rejections from traditional capital sources, McGrady pivoted to creating in-house content, which attracted NexGen Sports as a strategic capital and operational partner. - [19:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1174s) OBL structured its growth by shifting to a city-versus-city team concept and bringing on notable cultural figures, celebrities, and peers as minority owners and general managers.

## Detailed walkthrough Here is a detailed, faithful walkthrough of Part 1 of the interview:

[00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=0s) Introduction to Tracy McGrady: From High School Phenom to Sports Owner

The episode opens with NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady reflecting on his early years, recalling that at just 18 years old, he suddenly found himself a millionaire with zero formal education in personal finance or the realities of being a professional athlete. Everything he has learned from that tender age to the present has been driven by self-awareness, an understanding of his origins, and a continuous desire to grow. Hosts Jason Kelly and Alex Rodriguez welcome McGrady to *The Deal*, highlighting the strong parallels between Rodriguez and McGrady: both grew up in Florida under humble circumstances, both skipped college to jump straight from high school into professional sports, and both eventually transitioned into team ownership—Rodriguez in the NBA and McGrady as a minority investor in the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

Beyond his presence in corporate owner suites, McGrady is also making waves on television as an analyst for NBC's NBA coverage. Rodriguez expresses his admiration, calling McGrady one of his all-time favorite players and an incredible talent.

[01:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=69s) The Journey to Davos and Learning International Business

Kelly hands the floor to Rodriguez, who brings up their recent time together in Davos, Switzerland, asking McGrady what he learned from the experience and whether he would return. McGrady admits that as a massive "baseball head" who considers baseball his first love, sitting across from Rodriguez is an absolute honor. Turning to the topic of the World Economic Forum, McGrady candidly admits he had never even heard of Davos when first invited, jokingly asking, "What the hell is Davos?" However, once he researched the event, he realized it was a high-level environment where he needed to be.

Describing his arrival, McGrady recalls driving through Switzerland for the first time, struck by the breathtaking mountain scenery. Stuck in a bit of traffic, he looked out his car window to see Rodriguez himself walking down the street—the very first person he recognized in town. During the forum, McGrady spoke on a sports panel focused on bridging the gap between the U.S. and Asian markets, leveraging the extensive international relationships and business ventures he has built over the years in China. For McGrady, the experience was an eye-opener in his ongoing journey of learning global business.

[03:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=193s) The Origin Story of Buying Into the Buffalo Bills

Kelly shifts the discussion to one of McGrady's signature business moves: securing a minority ownership stake in the Buffalo Bills. McGrady explains that he had long harbored a desire to own a piece of a professional sports team across baseball, basketball, or football. He initially targeted his hometown team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but that path didn't materialize. He then received a call regarding an ownership stake in the Atlanta Falcons, but that deal was already too far along in the process, involving figureheads like Dominique Dawes and film producer Will Packer.

That was when the opportunity with the Buffalo Bills emerged. Addressing why Buffalo appealed to him, McGrady points to his early NBA career, having played his first three seasons (1997–2000) for the Toronto Raptors right across the Canadian border. During those years, Buffalo Bills legends like Bruce Smith and Thurman Thomas frequently attended Raptors games in Toronto, creating a long-standing personal connection. Deciding it was time to move away from simply backing other people's ideas and instead invest in his own vision, McGrady called his cousin, NBA legend Vince Carter.

- Vince Carter was immediately on board, eagerly asking what steps they needed to take next. - The pair attended a Bills game and later sat down in the office of team owner Terry Pegula for an hour-long meeting. - Expecting a high-pressure "audition" where he would have to sell himself, McGrady was pleasantly surprised by the casual, authentic conversation, which ended with Pegula directly inviting them into the ownership group.

[05:29](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=329s) Writing the Check and the Power of the Ownership Suite

Rodriguez asks McGrady about the sheer reality check of having to sign a massive check to finalize the deal, recalling that the first time he wrote a check of that magnitude, he couldn't sleep for a week. McGrady shares that he surprisingly wasn't nervous because he knew he had put in the requisite work, and his pure excitement completely overshadowed the monetary size of the check. He realized that becoming an NFL owner wasn't just about writing a check and passively watching the franchise value appreciate; it opened direct lines of communication with influential business figures who could help diversify and strengthen his overall investment portfolio.

Addressing whether people treat him differently as an owner, McGrady asserts that while he doesn't personally care how others view him, ownership indisputably opens doors that remain closed to most. He emphasizes that no matter how legendary an athlete was on the field or court, non-owners simply do not get access to those exclusive rooms. Rodriguez concurs, noting that team ownership unlocks opportunities like "wildfire."

- **Lessons from the Boardroom:** McGrady recounts meeting a fellow female co-owner during All-Star Weekend who offered genuine, generous support for his business ventures. - **What NOT to Do:** McGrady recalls watching an overly loud, obnoxious prospective investor in an owner's suite during a game, correctly predicting the group would reject him despite his wealth. - McGrady notes this taught him a vital lesson: money alone isn't enough—you have to be a solid, humble, and grounded person to belong in those circles.

[10:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=640s) Partnering with Vince Carter and the Nostalgia of "NBA on NBC"

Kelly asks about the deep personal and professional dynamic between McGrady and Vince Carter. McGrady reveals they only discovered they were cousins around the time McGrady was drafted out of high school. After spending two years together as teammates in Toronto, they forged a tight bond that has lasted decades. Today, they speak on the phone roughly twice a week—often requiring McGrady to clear two-hour blocks of time or set strict 15-minute limits. That ongoing, natural dialogue ultimately led them to launch a podcast together so they could monetize their lengthy conversations.

This entrepreneurial drive also paved the way for their broadcast deal with NBC. Joining the network was a full-circle moment for McGrady, who grew up during the 1990s golden era watching NBC coverage that inspired his dream of playing in the NBA. Being able to return to the network he once played on and analyze the game that raised him was a complete "no-brainer."

- The *NBA on NBC* studio panel features McGrady, Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony, and host Maria Taylor. - Rodriguez praises the show's chemistry, high production value, and on-location broadcasts.

[13:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=798s) How the '90s Transformed Basketball into a Global Business

Kelly asks what the 1990s era did for the overall business of basketball. McGrady highlights how icons like Michael Jordan revolutionized what players could accomplish off the court, particularly through sneaker culture and global branding. Following in those footsteps, McGrady signed with Adidas and sold millions of signature shoes worldwide. He credits Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Jordan with opening an international portal that allowed future generations to thrive globally.

McGrady shares that his first trip to China occurred around 1998 or 1999, a time when basketball was not yet widely played there. Over the decades, he witnessed an explosive trajectory, culminating in an estimated 350 to 400 million people playing basketball in China today. In 2004, as a member of the Houston Rockets alongside Chinese superstar Yao Ming, McGrady played in the very first official NBA China Games against the Sacramento Kings. He reflects on the unique weight and economic opportunity of carrying the basketball fandom of an entire continent on his back—an opportunity he continues to capitalize on to this day.

[15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=900s) Brotherly Mentorship with Kobe Bryant

Rodriguez steers the conversation toward McGrady's relationships with basketball legends, asking if he ever had pivotal advice from Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. McGrady explains that Kobe was like a brother to him, having entered the NBA directly out of high school just one year before McGrady did. During his rookie season, McGrady struggled with court time under his head coach—a frustration Kobe had experienced the previous year under head coach Del Harris, who pushed high school rookies exceptionally hard.

McGrady reached out to Kobe for guidance, and extensive phone calls ensued. Kobe offered crucial reassurance, telling him to "trust the work" and stay confident in his identity, which carried McGrady through a dark rookie year. Later, as McGrady rose to stardom in Orlando and entered conversations alongside Kobe as the best wing player in the league, their competitive relationship evolved. While Kobe notoriously disliked being compared to anyone, McGrady was built with the same fierce, competitive mentality to challenge him on the court.

Rodriguez interrupts with a humorous story of his own about Kobe: during a baseball slump, Rodriguez was driving to the Bronx when Kobe called to offer encouragement, telling him not to read the press. However, Kobe then mentioned he had been studying Rodriguez's baseball film, pointing out that Rodriguez was "bailing out" with his front foot on a 1-for-15 streak. Flabbergasted that Kobe was breaking down his hitting mechanics, Rodriguez jokingly ended the call with, "Kobe, I got to go!"

[17:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1020s) The Origins and Evolution of the Ones Basketball League (OBL)

The discussion shifts to Tracy McGrady’s enterprise, the Ones Basketball League (OBL). McGrady reflects on how the concept for the one-on-one league grew out of his personal journey. As an unknown high school junior in Florida, McGrady was the last player invited to Sonny Vaccaro’s legendary ABCD Camp in Teaneck, New Jersey—a camp famous for showcasing future legends like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tim Thomas, and LeBron James. After holding his own against top prospects like Lamar Odom, McGrady shot up from absolute obscurity to become the number one high school player in the country within a single month. That transformative platform ultimately launched him into being drafted straight out of high school in the 1997 NBA Draft, right on the heels of Garnett and Bryant. McGrady built OBL to create a similar, high-stakes exposure platform for basketball players who still possess an intense passion for the game.

Initially, McGrady launched a proof-of-concept trial across six cities, inviting 32 players per location and taking the top eight to a Sunday championship for a winner-take-all one-on-one showdown. However, when he went on a capital run to scale the business, he struck out with prospective investors. Rather than giving up, he viewed the rejection as a vital learning experience. He shifted strategy by leveraging his private gym at home to bring players in and produce high-quality content to keep the OBL brand active.

- **Key Players & Names Mentioned:** Sonny Vaccaro, Lamar Odom, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tim Thomas, LeBron James, and Tracy McGrady. - **ABCD Camp Location:** Teaneck, New Jersey. - **Draft Year:** 1997 (straight out of high school). - **Original OBL Trial Format:** 6 cities, 32 players per city, top 8 advancing to a Sunday winner-take-all championship.

---

[19:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1174s) Strategic Partnerships, Team Ownership, and Global Ambitions

McGrady's strategy of producing original content at his home gym paid off when it caught the attention of NexGen Sports, an investment group that recognized the magic of the vision and stepped in as a capital partner. NexGen brought deep operational expertise in alternative sports leagues, having launched the AVP volleyball league and managing the 305 team that won a championship in the BIG3. Together, they revamped the OBL model away from individual pop-ups and toward a city-versus-city team concept to build long-term enterprise value.

To drive local fan engagement and authentic culture, McGrady established an eight-team structure and awarded 15% ownership and general manager roles to prominent celebrities, cultural figures, and basketball peers: * **New York:** Rapper Jadakiss (from Yonkers) * **Chicago:** Actor Larenz Tate * **Raleigh, North Carolina:** Former NBA All-Star John Wall * **Miami:** NBA legend Tim Hardaway Sr.

McGrady stresses that OBL is a legitimate, professionally run league rather than a gimmick. The business model has already generated strong international demand, drawing inbound expansion inquiries from partners in China and Australia. McGrady points out that international youth are actively studying and copying American skill sets on social media—such as kids in China replicating Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's (SGA) game—making global expansion the natural trajectory for the league.

---

[21:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1305s) Rapid-Fire Round and Closing Reflections

Host Jason Kelly and co-host Alex Rodriguez transition into a rapid-fire Q&A segment with McGrady, uncovering his ultimate preferences and dream matchups:

* **One-on-One vs. Five-on-Five for life:** One-on-one. * **Dream All-Era OBL Roster:** Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant. * **Current NBA Player Most Likely to Win a League-Wide 1-on-1 Tournament:** Kevin Durant. * **Best One-on-One Basketball City:** New York. * **Dream OBL Investment Partner:** NexGen Sports (already secured). * **The Franchise He Wants to See Win a Championship Most:** After initial hesitation due to playing for multiple beloved franchises, McGrady named the Orlando Magic for basketball, but clarified his absolute top choice across *all* sports is the **Buffalo Bills** (which prompts jokes about the team choice and following his financial investment in the NFL franchise).

Closing the interview, Alex Rodriguez reflects on the shared brotherhood between high school-to-pro athletes like himself, McGrady, Garnett, and Kobe. A-Rod praises McGrady not just for his Hall of Fame career and broadcasting work on NBC, but for the classy, dignified manner in which he conducts his business and leads his family alongside his wife and four children.

## Notable quotes > [01:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=69s) What the hell is Davos? — Tracy McGrady

> [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=900s) trust the work — Kobe Bryant

> [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=900s) Kobe, I got to go! — Alex Rodriguez

## Mentioned Tracy McGrady, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Kelly, Bloomberg Originals, The Deal, World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Dominique Dawes, Will Packer, Toronto Raptors, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Vince Carter, Terry Pegula, NBA on NBC, Carmelo Anthony, Maria Taylor, Adidas, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Yao Ming, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Kobe Bryant, Del Harris, Ones Basketball League, Sonny Vaccaro, ABCD Camp, Kevin Garnett, Tim Thomas, LeBron James, Lamar Odom, NexGen Sports, AVP, BIG3, Jadakiss, Larenz Tate, John Wall, Tim Hardaway Sr., Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant, Orlando Magic

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4)

中文简报

麦迪推动OBL转型球队模式，并入股NFL比尔队 NBA名人堂成员Tracy McGrady依托其国际人脉与NFL球队持股经验，在NexGen Sports的支持下，将Ones Basketball League（OBL）重塑为城市对决的团队赛制。 Tracy McGrady详细讲述了他从高中直升NBA巨星，到转型为精明的全球商业人士及职业球队所有者的历程。他回顾了在达沃斯汲取国际商业经验、与Vince Carter共同购入NFL布法罗比尔队少数股权，以及为NBC篮球节目担任赛事分析嘉宾的经历。McGrady还着重提及Michael Jordan和中国市场如何推动篮球发展为全球产业，分享了与Kobe Bryant亦师亦友的故事，并概述了他自主创办的Ones Basketball League（OBL）的扩张蓝图。麦迪（Tracy McGrady）回顾自己从高中直升NBA后缺乏财务教育，完全凭借自我认知和求知欲成长为投资人；赴瑞士达沃斯参加世界经济论坛也进一步拓宽了他的国际商业视野。 (0:00) 麦迪联手表哥文斯·卡特（Vince Carter）收购了NFL布法罗比尔队（Buffalo Bills）的少数股权，他强调职业球队所有权不仅关乎资产升值，更为其敲开了与顶级商界领袖结网合作的大门。 (3:13) 麦迪与卡特将数十年的兄弟情谊与日常通话转化为商业合作，不仅联合创办播客，还携手加入NBC成为《NBA on NBC》演播室解说嘉宾。 (10:40) 受自身在ABCD训练营一战成名经历的启发，麦迪创办了一对一篮球联赛OBL，随后引入NexGen Sports作为资本伙伴转向城市战队制，并吸引了Jadakiss、沃尔（John Wall）等文体名流加盟担任球队小股东与总经理。 (17:00)

Reading summary

In an interview on The Deal, NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady outlines his transition from an unprepared high-school draftee to an active sports investor, arguing that team equity, media monetization, and global grassroots ventures offer far greater strategic leverage than athletic fame alone. Equity and Access in Sports Franchise Ownership (3:13) McGrady details acquiring a minority ownership stake in the NFL's Buffalo Bills alongside his cousin and former Toronto Raptors teammate Vince Carter. After initial efforts to buy into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stalled and an Atlanta Falcons group moved forward with other figures, an hour-long meeting with Bills owner Terry Pegula secured their entry. McGrady noted his affinity for Buffalo traced back to his Raptors tenure (1997–2000), when Bills icons Bruce Smith and Thurman Thomas frequently attended games across the border. Writing the equity check, McGrady emphasized, was driven not merely by prospective asset appreciation, but by the exclusive access ownership confers. Both he and co-host Alex Rodriguez observed that franchise ownership unlocks executive rooms unavailable to athletes regardless of their career accolades. However, McGrady noted that capital alone is insufficient: maintaining humility and emotional stability is required to gain respect and build lasting partnerships among fellow team owners. Scaling Basketball's Global Reach from China to Davos (13:18) Reflecting on the commercialization of basketball since the 1990s, McGrady highlighted how icons like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird opened international commercial pathways that enabled subsequent players to secure lucrative global footwear contracts, such as his own signature line with Adidas. Having first visited China around 1998 or 1999, McGrady witnessed the sport expand into an estimated 350 to 400 million active participants, later playing in the inaugural 2004 NBA China Games as Yao Ming's teammate on the Houston Rockets. That commercial longevity in Asia led to an invitation to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where McGrady participated in a panel focused on commercial bridges between the United States and Asian markets. McGrady highlighted that international youth increasingly emulate American basketball moves through digital media, underscoring an expanding cross-border commercial pipeline. Monetizing Personal Networks and Peer Mentorship (10:40) McGrady illustrated how enduring professional relationships can be systematically converted into media and enterprise assets. He and Carter, who discovered they were cousins around the time of the 1997 draft, formalized their routine twice-weekly telephone calls into a monetized podcast. That established dynamic subsequently paved the way for their broadcast roles alongside Carmelo Anthony and host Maria Taylor on NBC's studio coverage. McGrady also credited peer mentorship with surviving the steep learning curve of entering the NBA straight out of high school at age 18. During a difficult rookie season in Toronto, he sought counsel from Kobe Bryant, who had navigated similar playing-time frustrations under Los Angeles Lakers coach Del Harris the previous season. Bryant's advice to trust his daily work provided the psychological baseline that helped McGrady weather his early career challenges. Structuring the Ones Basketball League Enterprise (17:00) Drawing inspiration from his own breakthrough at Sonny Vaccaro's ABCD Camp in Teaneck, New Jersey—where he rose from relative obscurity to the nation's top high school recruit within a month—McGrady established the Ones Basketball League (OBL) to showcase elite one-on-one talent. After an initial six-city trial of 32-player tournaments failed to secure follow-on capital from institutional investors, McGrady pivoted by funding high-end video production in his private home gym to sustain brand traction. That content caught the attention of NexGen Sports, an alternative league operator that joined as a capital and operational partner. McGrady and NexGen restructured OBL into an eight-team, city-based franchise system, awarding 15% equity and general manager roles to culturally prominent figures, including Jadakiss in New York, Larenz Tate in Chicago, John Wall in Raleigh, and Tim Hardaway Sr. in Miami. The restructured format has attracted inbound expansion inquiries from prospective operators in China and Australia. While McGrady has assembled a multi-asset portfolio spanning an NFL minority holding, television broadcasting, and the Ones Basketball League, OBL's long-term commercial success hinges on whether its city-franchise model can successfully translate digital engagement into sustained media-rights agreements and overseas market expansions.

精炼阅读摘要

前NBA球星Tracy McGrady在访谈中阐述了他从高中跳级新秀蜕变为体育商业投资人的历程，强调通过战略性入股NFL水牛城比尔队、创办单挑篮球联赛（OBL）及布局全球市场，职业运动员能够将赛场声誉转化为可持续的商业话语权。资本进阶：入股比尔队切入顶级商业圈层 (3:13) McGrady透露，他始终抱有拥有职业体育球队股份的愿景。在寻求投资家乡球队坦帕湾海盗队未果，且亚特兰大猎鹰队的股权交易因进程过半（已有Dominique Dawes和制片人Will Packer等人参与）而错过后，他最终抓住了NFL水牛城比尔队的投资机遇。该渊源始于他在多伦多猛龙队效力的前三个赛季（1997至2000年），当时Bruce Smith和Thurman Thomas等比尔队名宿经常现身多伦多支持猛龙队。McGrady随后联合其表哥Vince Carter与比尔队老板Terry Pegula进行了长达一小时的面对面会谈，并在真实随和的交流后直接受邀加入投资团队。面对开具巨额投资支票的心理门槛，McGrady表示充分的事前准备与兴奋感完全消解了资金规模带来的压力。他与主持人Alex Rodriguez一致指出，拥有职业球队股权的核心价值远非被动的资产增值，而是能够直接进入极具壁垒的高阶商业圈层，与顶级商界领袖对接以多元化个人资产配置。McGrady还分享称，他在圈层交流中观察到，仅凭财富并不足以立足，低调谦逊与稳健的人品才是维系高端商业合作的关键门槛。全球化视野：深耕中国市场与达沃斯论坛 (1:09) McGrady近期受邀参加瑞士达沃斯世界经济论坛，并在体育专题研讨中围绕架起美亚体育市场桥梁发表演讲。他回顾称，自己首次造访中国可追溯至1998年或1999年，亲眼见证了篮球运动从初具雏形到如今估计拥有3.5亿至4亿参与者的爆发式增长。2004年，作为休斯敦火箭队核心并与姚明并肩作战的McGrady，参与了对阵萨克拉门托国王队的首届NBA中国赛，由此承担起撬动庞大洲际球迷群体的经济与文化重任。在商业模式的演进上，McGrady肯定了Michael Jordan、Magic Johnson及Larry Bird等前辈通过球鞋文化与全球品牌推广所开创的跨国路径。作为阿迪达斯旗下售出数百万双签名球鞋的代表人物，McGrady至今仍在持续挖掘并变现早年在中国市场积累的深厚人脉与商业资产，并将其视为其国际化商业布局的重要根基。赛事创新：单挑篮球联赛的商业化迭代 (17:00) McGrady创办单挑篮球联赛（Ones Basketball League，简称OBL）的构想源于其自身成名史。高中三年级时，他是Sonny Vaccaro主办的新泽西提内克ABCD训练营的最后一名受邀者，却凭借对抗Lamar Odom等热门球员的表现，在单月内跃升为全美第一高中生并于1997年直接选秀进入NBA。为了给具备竞技热情的草根球员打造类似的高曝光展示窗口，McGrady最初在6座城市试点了单挑赛，每站32人参赛并由前8名角逐周日决赛奖金。在随后的规模化融资受阻后，他转而利用自家私人球馆持续产出高质量对抗内容，以维持品牌热度。该内容策略成功吸引了兼具AVP排球联赛及BIG3冠军队伍305队运营经验的NexGen Sports作为资本方入局。双方将OBL由巡回赛事重构为城市对抗制的8支球队体系，并向知名文化名流出让15%股权兼总经理职务，包括纽约的Jadakiss、芝加哥的Larenz Tate、罗利的John Wall以及迈阿密的Tim Hardaway Sr.。McGrady强调该联赛为正规职业化运作，随着海外年轻一代通过社交媒体模仿美式后卫技术，OBL已收到来自中国与澳大利亚的扩张意向，正积极推进全球化落地。经验传承：科比的指引与NBC媒体业务 (0:00) McGrady在18岁以高中生身份进入联盟时瞬间成为百万富翁，但缺乏个人财务与职业规划的系统培训，其职业进阶高度依赖自省与外部指引。在他因出场时间受限而陷入挣扎的新秀赛季，比他早一年跳级进入联盟的Kobe Bryant给予了他关键建议，叮嘱他“相信付出”并坚守自我定位，帮助他度过了低潮期，两人随后在奥兰多时期发展为势均力敌的赛场对手。Rodriguez在访谈中也补充提及，Kobe曾在其棒球打击陷入15支1低迷期时主动致电分析其击球动作细节，印证了顶级运动员间的互助传统。在退役后的媒体布局方面，McGrady与选秀期才相认的表哥Vince Carter将每周两次的高频长谈变现为联合播客项目，并进一步携手入驻NBC担任《NBA on NBC》演播室常驻分析嘉宾，与Carmelo Anthony及主持人Maria Taylor共同亮相。McGrady表示，重返儿时激励自己打球的NBC转播平台，不仅实现了情怀闭环，更成为其退役后媒体影响力的核心支点。 McGrady的商业实践展示了顶级运动员如何借助无形声誉构筑多元化实体资产，从职业球队小额股权到原创赛事IP及跨国商业协作全面铺开。然而，诸如OBL等新兴小众体育联盟在引入机构资本与名人赋能后，能否在跨国扩张中建立长期的自我造血机制与稳定的观众黏性，仍有待市场进一步验证。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 该内容由彭博旗下频道 Bloomberg Originals 于 2026 年 6 月 21 日发布在 YouTube 平台。根据页面简介，节目由亚历克斯·罗德里格斯（Alex Rodriguez）与杰森·凯利（Jason Kelly）联合主持，专访了 NBA 名人堂巨星特雷西·麦克格雷迪（Tracy McGrady），重点探讨了他入主 NFL 成为球队老板、90年代对篮球商业的颠覆性变革，以及加盟 NBC 出任赛事解说嘉宾的幕后历程。 ## TL;DR 访谈深度梳理了麦迪从高中跳级成为百万富翁，到携手表哥文斯·卡特入股 NFL 布法罗比尔队晋升顶级资方的蜕变轨迹。麦迪分享了在顶层商业圈层中领悟的处世礼仪、开拓中国市场积累的持久商业红利，以及与科比·布莱恩特亦敌亦友的深厚情谊与趣事。同时，他详述了自创的 1-on-1 单挑联赛 OBL 如何在经历融资碰壁后完成商业模式重构、引入城市合伙人并筹划全球化扩张的创业历程，并与同为跳级巨星转型老板的主持人 A-Rod 展开了深度的商业人生复盘。 ## Atmosphere & style 整场对话洋溢着惺惺相惜的坦诚与温情，麦迪与 A-Rod 两位来自佛罗里达、未历大学洗礼便登顶体坛的高中生巨星，在平等的同行视角下碰撞出极强的情感共鸣。访谈基调在睿智深沉的商业复盘与轻松欢快的兄弟闲聊间自如切换，既有包厢观察人情冷暖的冷静反思，也有调侃科比指导棒球挥棒、戏称“跟着钱走”力挺比尔队夺冠的爆笑时刻。整段交流毫无名宿的傲慢，反而透露出阅尽千帆后的谦逊沉稳与对商业下半场的澎湃雄心。 ## Bulletin - [03:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=194s) 特雷西·麦克格雷迪（Tracy McGrady）联手文斯·卡特（Vince Carter）正式入股 NFL 布法罗比尔队（Buffalo Bills）成为少数股权股东，完成从高中跳级巨星到顶级职业体育资产所有者的战略跨界。 - [16:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1018s) 麦迪创办的“一对一篮球联赛”（OBL）完成商业重构，在自筹概念验证与传统 VC 融资碰壁后获 NexGen Sports 注资，推出由约翰·沃尔、拉伦兹·泰特等名宿及明星各持股 15% 的 8 支城市战队模式，并已接洽中国与澳大利亚的落地合作。 - [13:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=798s) 依托 1998 年初访中国以及 2004 年与姚明并肩开拓首届 NBA 中国赛积累的海外影响力，麦迪表示其深耕二十余年的美亚体育商业网络至今仍在持续为其跨国业务提供强劲变现动能。 - [10:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=624s) 在媒体版图拓展上，麦迪不仅将与文斯·卡特的高频私人沟通孵化为商业播客，更携手卡特、卡梅隆·安东尼加盟《NBA on NBC》黄金转播阵容，构建退役球星的多元内容矩阵。 ## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=0s) 从高中直升新星到职业球队资方：麦迪与 A-Rod 展现了当代顶尖运动员摆脱单一竞技身份、通过重资产配置实现人生第二曲线跃迁的标杆路径。 - [01:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=69s) 达沃斯论坛启示与美亚商业桥梁：麦迪立足其退役后深耕海外市场的经验登上世界经济论坛，探讨如何搭建美亚体育商业桥梁，促成其商业认知的系统升级。 - [03:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=194s) 布法罗比尔队收购的达成：经历海盗队与猎鹰队的竞购失利后，麦迪凭借猛龙时期的地缘渊源与特里·佩古拉长达一小时的深入交流敲定合作，并拉入文斯·卡特共同出资。 - [05:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=330s) 打破资本天花板的入场券：对退役非裔球星而言，签下天价支票的深层价值不仅是财务分红，更是突破顶级体育资方封闭圈层、赢得核心话语权的制度性门票。 - [07:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=465s) 商务包厢中的处世之道：顶层资方对合伙人的审视极度看重低调与人品（solid person），在观摩粗鲁投资人被董事会淘汰的过程中，麦迪总结出“学会不该做什么”比成事更关键的商业准则。 - [10:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=624s) 家族纽带的商业化赋能：将每周两次、长达两小时的表兄弟日常深聊转化为商业播客，并借势 NBC 重获 NBA 转播权的历史契机重返演播席，实现情感与商业的双赢。 - [13:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=798s) 90年代商业遗产与中国市场红利：乔丹等先驱推开了球鞋代言与全球商业化大门，而 2004 年与姚明共同奠基首届中国赛的历史契机，至今仍源源不断地为麦迪带来海外商业红利。 - [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=900s) 科比的深夜开导与严苛要求：同为高中跳级新星，科比在麦迪经历苦涩新秀期时以“相信苦练”为其心理筑基，两位时代巨星在保持绝对竞争心态的同时亦维持着深厚的兄弟私交。 - [16:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1018s) OBL 联赛从 ABCD 训练营灵感起步：源于当年战胜奥多姆一战成名的草根经历，麦迪创立 OBL 致力于为底层选手提供上升通道，并在首轮融资受挫后通过主场私域内容自救挽回颓势。 - [20:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1235s) NexGen Sports 加持与 15% 城市合伙人股权架构：OBL 转型为“城市争霸战”，首期 8 支球队各由约翰·沃尔、蒂姆·哈达威等名人出任持股 15% 的主理人，全面激活本土社群归属感与社媒裂变潜力。 - [21:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1305s) “跟着资本走”的理性底色：在快问快答环节，麦迪虽在情感上认同魔术队与杜兰特在单挑领域的统治力，但在体育冠军期许上果断选择其真实重金投资的布法罗比尔队，凸显投资人本位思考。 - [23:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1387s) 稀缺精英群体的时代共鸣：高中直升职业联盟的严酷考验，促成了麦迪与 A-Rod 等巨星在退役后对家庭责任、商业自律与绅士品格的长期推崇与相互认同。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=0s) 佛罗里达少年的殊途同归：从高中跳级新星到职业球队老板特雷西·麦克格雷迪（Tracy McGrady，T-Mac）在节目伊始深情回顾了自己的成长轨迹：18岁那年，他刚离开高中校园便一夜之间成为了百万富翁。当时的他对财务管理毫无概念，更不知道如何成为一名合格的职业篮球运动员。从当年的青涩懵懂到如今的沉稳睿智，支撑他不断前进的动力正是清醒地认识自我、牢记出身，并在每一天都保持对未知事物的渴望。主持人杰森·凯利（Jason Kelly）与亚历克斯·罗德里格斯（Alex Rodriguez，A-Rod）随后引出今日的嘉宾，A-Rod更是毫不掩饰对麦迪的崇拜与共鸣，直言麦迪是他心目中NBA历史最出色的球员之一。 A-Rod与麦迪之间有着惊人相似的命运轨迹：两人都来自佛罗里达州，都出身于草根与微寒背景，都在高中毕业后直接跨入最高级别的职业体育殿堂，而如今他们又都在体坛资本圈开辟了新阵地——A-Rod入主NBA明尼苏达森林狼队成为老板，而麦迪则作为少数股权投资人入股了NFL布法罗比尔队（Buffalo Bills）。这种从聚光灯下的超级球星到豪华包厢里的球队掌门人、再到活跃于电视屏幕前评球名宿的身份转变，成为了整场对话探讨商业与人生蜕变的绝佳切入点。 - **共同背景**：麦迪与 A-Rod 均来自佛罗里达，同样从极其卑微贫寒的环境中起步，并且都是罕见的高中直升职业体育联盟（麦迪进 NBA、A-Rod 进 MLB）的代表人物。 - **资本角色转变**：两位体坛巨星不仅实现了商业跨界，更相继晋升为顶级联盟的球队资方，麦迪近期以少数股东身份正式入股 NFL 布法罗比尔队。 ### [01:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=69s) 意外初访达沃斯：从棒球狂热到跨国商业桥梁访谈从两人数月前在瑞士达沃斯（Davos）世界经济论坛的偶遇谈起。麦迪坦言棒球才是自己的“初恋”，一直将 A-Rod 视作偶像。在受邀前往达沃斯之前，他对这个举世闻名的政商盛会一无所知，甚至第一反应是困惑地反问：“达沃斯到底是个什么鬼地方？”然而在一番查阅后，他意识到那是一个真正属于全球精英的高端殿堂，正是自己拓展商业版图必须涉足的舞台。在驱车进入瑞士境内的途中，麦迪被当地如画的自然风光深深震撼。就在车流略显拥堵之际，他往车窗左侧一瞥，惊讶地发现 A-Rod 竟然正悠闲地走在达沃斯的街头。麦迪此次受邀在体育产业论坛上发表演讲，依托他退役多年来深耕国际市场、频繁往返中国经商积累的深厚人脉，他与全球商界决策者深入探讨了如何搭建连接美国与亚洲市场的商业桥梁。麦迪表示，达沃斯之行彻底打开了他的眼界，让他深刻体会到自己在商业求知旅程中正如饥似渴地吸取养分。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 麦迪达沃斯之行与商业演进 accDescr: 展示麦迪从受邀达沃斯论坛、街头偶遇 A-Rod，到发表演讲并探索中美体育商业桥梁的历程 subgraph Trip["达沃斯初体验"] A["收到达沃斯论坛邀请\n（起初一无所知）"] --> B["了解盛会背景并启程\n（初访瑞士惊艳于沿途风景）"] B --> C["街头堵车偶遇 A-Rod\n（两大巨星在瑞士汇合）"] end subgraph Forum["商业理念分享"] C --> D["受邀出席体育商业专题论坛"] D --> E["立足中国等海外业务经验\n探讨搭建美亚市场桥梁"] E --> F["深切体会商业知识的广度\n持续保持谦逊学习的心态"] end ``` ### [03:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=194s) 入股布法罗比尔队：一通打给文斯·卡特的电话当被问及入股 NFL 布法罗比尔队的缘由时，麦迪道出了自己一直以来深藏心底的梦想：“无论棒球、篮球还是橄榄球，我都渴望在某一天拥有一支球队。”他最初曾试图竞购家乡球队坦帕湾海盗队（Tampa Bay Buccaneers）的少数股权，也曾收到过入股亚特兰大猎鹰队（Atlanta Falcons）的邀请，但当时多米尼克·道斯（Dominique Dawes）与制片人威尔·帕克（Will Packer）主导的财团交易推进得太深，他已无介入空间。随后，布法罗比尔队的机会浮出水面。选择布法罗并非偶然。麦迪职业生涯早期曾在多伦多猛龙队效力三年（1997年至2000年），多伦多与布法罗仅一桥之隔，当年布鲁斯·史密斯（Bruce Smith）和瑟曼·托马斯（Thurman Thomas）等比尔队的传奇球星常现身猛龙主场为他捧场。麦迪回忆起过去自己往往只是把钱投进别人的创意和构想里，而这一次，他决定主导属于自己的交易。他当即拨通了表哥文斯·卡特（Vince Carter）的电话，兴奋地问对方是否愿意一起成为 NFL 球队老板。卡特毫不犹豫地答应：“我加入，需要我做什么？” 两人随后亲赴布法罗观看了一场比尔队的比赛，赛后受邀前往大老板特里·佩古拉（Terry Pegula）的办公室。麦迪原以为这是一场极为严苛的“合伙人面试”，自己必须表现得无可挑剔才能打动对方；然而实际场景却格外惬意，双方像朋友般在办公室里闲聊畅谈了一个小时。对谈结束时，佩古拉当场爽快地抛出橄榄枝：“你们想成为这支球队的一分子吗？”这笔里程碑式的跨界交易就此一锤定音。 - **早前收购尝试**：曾尝试入股家乡球队坦帕湾海盗队，亚特兰大猎鹰队的交易因介入时机较晚而未能成行。 - **地域渊源**：麦迪效力猛龙队期间毗邻布法罗，90年代末比尔队传奇球星经常跨过边境前往现场为麦迪助威。 - **家族联手**：麦迪与表哥文斯·卡特共同出资，成为比尔队少数合伙人财团的关键成员。 - **非正式敲定**：入资并非通过繁冗的商业答辩，而是赛后在特里·佩古拉办公室长达一小时的轻松交流中达成了合作共识。 ### [05:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=330s) 签下天价支票：身份飞跃与打开全新社交大门当交易协议敲定，等待他们的便是开出一张金额惊人的巨额支票。A-Rod 深有感触地坦言，自己人生中第一次签下这种数额的支票后整整一个星期失眠，并询问麦迪把银行账户大笔资金划出时内心是否感到忐忑。麦迪回答说，自己在开支票时并没有焦虑不安，因为多年的努力打拼给了他充足的底气，而那种梦想成真的巨大兴奋感早已彻底盖过了对数字本身的敬畏。在麦迪看来，开出这张支票绝非仅仅被动地坐等球队升值分红，而是为了赢得与联盟核心圈顶层资本对话的席位。他深知像自己这样出身的非裔球星能够真正跨进职业球队资方阵营的凤毛麟角，这种身份的转变赋予了他前所未有的平台。面对外界关于“成为老板后他人眼光是否改变”的疑问，麦迪霸气回应自己根本不在乎别人如何评判，但他明确感受到了资方身份带来的强大赋能：“它为你带来了资格，每个人都知道要进入那个门槛有多难。无论你在球场上多么辉煌，都不是任何人都能获得这样的机会。”那些曾经紧闭的高阶商业大门，正在为他源源不断地敞开。 ### [07:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=465s) 豪华包厢里的处世哲学：学会“不该做什么”的终身一课融入顶级资方圈层后，麦迪经历了一场关于人性与商业礼仪的生动洗礼。他坦承在投资人圈子里有难以打交道的人，但同样也会遇到心胸宽广、极具教养的导师。在一次全明星周末活动中，麦迪偶遇了同一入股财团的女合伙人，对方真挚无私的提议令他深受感动：“你需要我提供什么帮助尽管开口，无论在你的任何商业探索中，我都会全力支持。”这种毫无保留的善意让初涉资方的麦迪倍感温暖与振奋。但与此同时，豪华包厢内也上演着截然相反的人性闹剧。麦迪透露，在一次比尔队比赛的资方包厢内，球队管理层带进了数个有意成为少数股权合伙人的潜在资方群体。当时麦迪自己安静地坐在一旁低调观战，而另一位试图入股的投资人却在包厢内举止浮夸、大呼小叫、粗鲁傲慢到了极点。麦迪在暗中观察并断定：“这人绝对进不来，无论他多有钱，资方绝不会容许他加入。”果不其然，该投资人最终被董事会坚决排除在外。麦迪感慨，这让他深刻明白无论个人身家多么雄厚，要做成顶级的长期事业，最根本的底色必须是一个人品可靠、谦卑低调的“体面人”（solid person）。A-Rod 对此高度赞同并总结道，在身处顶级董事会与商务包厢时，除了学习如何把事情做成，往往更重要、更能受用终身的一课是看清“绝对不能做什么”。这一经历成为了麦迪商业转型路上最为宝贵的一课。 ### [10:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=624s) 表兄弟联手：与文斯·卡特的深厚羁绊、播客与加盟 NBC 谈及与文斯·卡特（Vince Carter）的关系，麦迪（Tracy McGrady）回忆起两人非同寻常的缘分。当年他从高中直接被选秀进入联盟后，两人才惊奇地发现彼此竟是表兄弟。随后，他们共同在多伦多猛龙队效力了两年，建立起了牢不可破的情谊。多年来，随着各自成家立业，两人的联系从未间断，无话不谈。麦迪笑称，每次文斯打电话过来，自己要么必须提前腾出整整两个小时的时间，要么就得赶紧先打预防针：“嘿表哥，我只有15分钟，赶紧说正事！”这种深度通话几乎每周都会上演两次。正因如此，两人后来顺理成章地开办了播客，麦迪的想法很实在：“兄弟，既然咱俩平时聊了这么多，干脆开个节目把钱赚了。” 麦迪坦言自己始终是一个由商业与新挑战驱动的人。他从未想过自己会涉足电视行业，但当 NBC 的邀约降临时，他拉上卡特一起入局，抓住时代红利与家人携手并肩发展，这被他视为人生中最棒的决定之一。主持人 Alex Rodriguez（A-Rod）随即打趣道，麦迪能有卡特这样的表哥实在太走运了，“我是多米尼加人，我成天都能蹦出各种表亲，但没一个是我愿意请到家里吃感恩节大餐的。” 麦迪也笑着回应：“我这只是挑了一个好的跟你聊，我其实也有一大堆那样的亲戚呢！” 对于当下主持的《NBA on NBC》赛前赛后节目，麦迪表达了极高的热情。节目不仅有卡特加盟，还有卡梅隆·安东尼（Carmelo Anthony）助阵以及明星主持人玛丽亚·泰勒（Maria Taylor）控场，并且经常深入球场一线录制。麦迪感慨，NBC 承载了他在90年代爱上篮球的黄金记忆；如今重返荧屏解说这项滋养他成长的运动，完全是一种无需犹豫的情怀回归。 - **多伦多猛龙岁月**：两人在猛龙队并肩征战两个赛季，打下深厚的私人与职业羁绊。 - **高频交流成催化剂**：每周通话约两次，每次长达两小时，最终转化为商业播客项目。 - **豪华演播团队**：与文斯·卡特、卡梅隆·安东尼、玛丽亚·泰勒共同打造《NBA on NBC》黄金转播阵容。 --- ### [13:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=798s) 90年代的商业革命与开拓中国市场当被问及90年代篮球黄金期对整个篮球商业版图的深远影响时，麦迪直言，以迈克尔·乔丹（Michael Jordan）、“魔术师”约翰逊（Magic Johnson）和拉里·伯德（Larry Bird）为代表的先驱，为后辈球员推开了一扇走向全球商业的大门。乔丹不仅在场上封神，更通过 Jordan 品牌售卖球鞋树立了商业标杆；麦迪随后也签约阿迪达斯（Adidas），卖出了数以百万计的签名球鞋，切实享受到了前辈开辟全球化市场的红利。麦迪特别提到了自己与中国市场的深厚渊源。他的首次中国之行早在1998或1999年左右，当时中国的篮球普及度远未达到如今的规模。麦迪一路见证了这项运动在中国爆发式增长，如今已有三到四亿人参与其中。2004年，麦迪加盟休斯敦火箭队，与姚明成为队友，并代表火箭与萨克拉门托国王队共同拉开了首届 NBA 中国赛的序幕。他坦言，当时不仅是打球，更是感觉“背负着一整个大洲的期待在前进”；而那次开拓性经历所带来的巨大商业价值与经济回报，直到今天依然在源源不断地给予他丰厚回馈。 --- ### [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=900s) 科比·布莱恩特的深夜开导与 A-Rod 的棒球趣事麦迪回顾了自己与科比·布莱恩特（Kobe Bryant）如同亲兄弟般的交往历程。由于科比比他早一年从高中直接跳入 NBA，两人有着极为相似的成长轨迹。麦迪的新秀赛季过得异常挣扎，而科比当年在德尔·哈里斯（Del Harris）手下也因教练刻意打压高中生新秀而历经坎坷。面对困境，麦迪主动拨通了科比的电话，科比深知这种痛苦，以过来人的身份反复告诫他：“相信你付出的努力，麦迪，只管相信苦练，它终会给你回报，你要清楚自己到底是谁。”正是这些深夜长谈，支撑着麦迪熬过了充满考验的新秀年。后来麦迪转战奥兰多魔术队声名鹊起，恰逢科比在湖人连夺总冠军，媒体开始热炒两人谁才是联盟最强侧翼。麦迪了解科比那绝不容忍任何人与自己相提并论的偏执个性，但他同样一身傲骨：“我懂科比，但我也生来如此，骨子里带着同样的争胜心，只是展现方式不同。” 听到这里，A-Rod 忍不住分享了一段自己与科比的爆笑往事。有一回 A-Rod 处于击球低谷期，正开车前往布朗克斯，科比突然打来电话安慰他：“别看媒体瞎写，别让他们影响你的心态，专注于自己的比赛。”A-Rod 刚觉得倍感温暖，科比话锋一转：“我看你最近15个打席才打出1支安打，我一直在研究你的击球录像。”A-Rod 当时就愣了，心想科比一个打篮球的懂什么棒球。果不其然，科比煞有介事地指点起来：“你的前脚有问题，你在挥棒时身体重心后撤得太厉害了……”A-Rod 只好哭笑不得地连忙打断：“科比，行了行了，我得挂了，下周见吧！” --- ### [16:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1018s) OBL单挑联赛的起死回生：从挫败融资到联盟重构话题转向麦迪创办的“一对一篮球联赛”（Ones Basketball League，简称 OBL）。麦迪动情地讲述了这个联赛的精神源头——索尼·瓦卡罗（Sonny Vaccaro）在新泽西州提内克举办的传奇 ABCD 训练营。麦迪在高三前还只是个无人知晓的佛罗里达本地小子，直到最后一刻才勉强拿到训练营的最后一张邀请函。面对全美瞩目的拉马尔·奥多姆（Lamar Odom），名不见经传的麦迪在对抗中丝毫不落下风，凭借惊艳表现一战成名，仅仅一个月后便跃升为全美排名第一的高中生球员，并最终在1997年以高中生身份首轮被选中。这段“一战逆天改命”的经历，成为了麦迪创立 OBL 的初衷：为那些对篮球依旧充满炽热渴望与热爱的底层球员提供改变命运的舞台。在最初的概念验证阶段，麦迪自掏腰包走遍6座城市，每站邀请32名球员开展单败淘汰制单挑，最终选拔8人晋级周日决赛角逐“胜者通吃”大奖。然而，带着良好的赛事实测反馈去市场进行首轮融资时，麦迪却遭到了投资人的全面拒绝。这次碰壁不仅没有击垮他，反而让他悟出了创业的重要逻辑：“不是所有人都能理解你的愿景，也不是所有人都能看到你眼中的未来。既然别人不信，那我只能靠自己走一条不同的路。” 麦迪迅速展开自救策略：他在自己家中的私人球馆搭起场地召集球员，高频拍摄对抗内容以维系 OBL 的品牌热度。这一自救举措成功吸引了投资机构 NexGen Sports 的关注与注资。NexGen Sports 具备深厚的另类体育联赛运作经验，旗下不仅运营有专业沙滩排球联赛 AVP，还参与投资了 Big3 联赛的冠军球队 305。与专业资本联合后，OBL 迎来了商业模式的彻底重构：麦迪不再局限于个人作坊式的运作，而是推出了“城市争霸战”，引入贾达基斯（Jadakiss）等本地明星与潮流网红作为各城市战队的主理人并赋予球队股权，从而最大化绑定在地社群与商业价值。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: OBL 发展演进历程 accDescr: 展示 OBL 从 ABCD 训练营灵感起步，经历首轮试水与融资受挫，最终转型为城市战队模式的过程。 subgraph Origin["灵感与初心"] A["ABCD 训练营经历 从默默无闻到全美第一"] --> B["创立 OBL 聚焦纯粹 1v1 单挑赛"] end subgraph PivotStage["试水与破局"] B --> C["6城概念验证 32人选拔 + 8人决赛周日争霸"] C --> D["资本市场融资碰壁 资方难以看懂愿景"] D --> E["家庭球馆自制内容 持续产出曝光维持热度"] end subgraph ScaleUp["商业重构与升级"] E --> F["引入专业资方 NexGen Sports 吸收 AVP 与 Big3 运营经验"] F --> G["推出'城市争霸战'模式 引入 Jadakiss 等名人成为球队股东"] end ``` - **ABCD 训练营传奇起点**：曾走出加内特、科比、蒂姆·托马斯与勒布朗·詹姆斯，麦迪作为最后一名受邀者在此掀翻奥多姆跻身全美第一。 - **OBL 初始赛制**：覆盖全美6座主要城市，每站32名民间高手集结，前8强进入周日进行一对一“胜者通吃”冠军战。 - **NexGen Sports 资本加持**：带来了 AVP 沙滩排球联赛以及 Big3 冠军球队 305 的专业体育 IP 管理与商业化操盘经验。 - **引入明星合伙人**：邀请说唱传奇 Jadakiss 等重量级文化意见领袖持有各城市战队所有权，通过城市对抗激活地方球迷号召力。 ### [20:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1235s) OBL 联盟的商业架构与全球化扩张蓝图特雷西·麦克格雷迪（Tracy McGrady）详细阐述了他创办的单挑篮球联赛 OBL（Ones Basketball League）的组织构架与股权模式。联盟首期规划了 8 支球队，麦迪并没有采用传统的雇佣制，而是赋予每个核心城市的负责人切实的归属感——给予这些兼任总经理与球队老板的合伙人每人 15% 的球队股权，并全权交由他们自主管理和运营。在人选配置上，麦迪精准绑定了本土人脉与城市符号：纽约队交由来自扬克斯（Yonkers）的本土好友；芝加哥队交给了著名演员、挚友拉伦兹·泰特（Larenz Tate）；罗利队交付给来自北卡罗来纳州罗利的前状元秀约翰·沃尔（John Wall）；迈阿密队则由名宿蒂姆·哈达威（Tim Hardaway Sr.）挂帅。麦迪严肃地强调，这绝非作秀或搞噱头的娱乐项目，而是在扎扎实实搭建一个正规且具有长期竞争力的职业体育联盟。随着联赛选拔赛的热烈展开，OBL 的影响力迅速打破国界。麦迪透露，他已经接到了来自中国商业合作伙伴的合作邀请，希望尽快将单挑联赛引入中国市场，来自澳大利亚的赛事邀约也接踵而至。麦迪认为，走向全球化是该项目的必由之路，如今全世界的年轻一代通过社交媒体随时接触最前沿的篮球技巧，许多海外小球员的运控动作甚至已经神似雷霆队球星谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大（Shai Gilgeous-Alexander，SGA）。主持人杰森·凯利（Jason Kelly）敏锐地指出，内容传播正是这项新兴赛事爆发的核心引擎，麦迪对此深表认同。 - **初始规模与股权分配**：首期设立 8 支球队，各队总经理兼合伙人享有 15% 的球队所有权及日常管理权。 - **明星主理人阵容**：涵盖著名演员拉伦兹·泰特（芝加哥）、NBA 全明星后卫约翰·沃尔（罗利）、名宿蒂姆·哈达威（迈阿密）及扬克斯本土代表（纽约）。 - **海外市场拓展**：来自中国和澳大利亚的商业机构已主动接洽引进赛事，依托社媒内容裂变挖掘全球本土新星。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: OBL 联盟运营与全球拓展架构 accDescr: 展示特雷西·麦克格雷迪主导的 OBL 联盟在股权分配、核心赛区布局以及全球化推进的战略流程。 subgraph Ownership ["顶层设计与股权分配"] TMac["特雷西·麦克格雷迪 (创始人)"] Equity["8 支初始球队 各主理人持有 15% 股权"] TMac --> Equity end subgraph Cities ["核心城市主理人"] NY["纽约队 (扬克斯主理人)"] CHI["芝加哥队 (拉伦兹·泰特)"] RAL["罗利队 (约翰·沃尔)"] MIA["迈阿密队 (老蒂姆·哈达威)"] Equity --> NY Equity --> CHI Equity --> RAL Equity --> MIA end subgraph Global ["全球化战略版图"] Social["社交媒体与短视频传播"] Intl["国际赛区接洽 (中国 / 澳大利亚)"] Cities --> Social Social --> Intl end ``` ### [21:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1305s) 快问快答：单挑梦之队、杜兰特与布法罗比尔队节目进入节奏紧凑的“快问快答”环节。面对“如果余生只能打一种篮球，选单挑还是五打五”的问题，麦迪毫不犹豫地选择了 1-on-1 单挑。而在选拔跨时代的 NBA 球员组建自己的 OBL 终极三人群时，麦迪脱口而出：“我自己、科比·布莱恩特（Kobe Bryant）和凯文·杜兰特（Kevin Durant）。”这一极具杀伤力的名单让主持人直呼“谁碰上谁倒霉”。当被问及现役球员中谁能在全联盟单挑锦标赛中拔得头筹时，麦迪给出的答案依旧是杜兰特；至于全美最佳街头单挑圣地，他果断投给了篮球圣堂纽约。而在梦想的商业投资伙伴一问中，麦迪不仅点名了支持其项目的 Gen（NexGen Sports），还顺水推舟将橄榄枝抛向了身边的联合主持人亚历克斯·罗德里格斯（Alex Rodriguez）。整个问答环节的高潮出现在“最希望看到哪支球队赢得总冠军”的提问上。麦迪一开始陷入沉思，坦言自己效力过三支感情深厚的 NBA 球队，犹豫片刻后先报出了母队奥兰多魔术队的名字。主持人立刻提醒问题范围是“任何运动项目”，麦迪瞬间喜笑颜开，大声改口：“布法罗比尔队（Buffalo Bills）！”他随即笑着调侃道：“跟着钱走准没错，宝贝（Follow the money baby）！”现场顿时爆发出一阵笑声，主持人也打趣附和，考虑到麦迪对 NFL 布法罗比尔队的投资背景，比尔队夺冠的概率确实要远大于如今处于重建期的魔术队。 - **生涯取向**：余生唯一的篮球运动选择——单挑（One-on-One）。 - **终极三人梦之队**：特雷西·麦克格雷迪、科比·布莱恩特、凯文·杜兰特。 - **现役单挑之王**：凯文·杜兰特（KD）。 - **单挑之都**：纽约市（New York）。 - **冠军寄托**：奥兰多魔术（篮球领域）；布法罗比尔（全体育领域，源于其实际资本投资）。 ### [23:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1387s) 惺惺相惜：从高中天才到商业领袖的人生下半场访谈接近尾声，主持人杰森·凯利感慨道，深入交流后愈发能感受到麦迪与 A-Rod（亚历克斯·罗德里格斯）职业轨迹之间令人惊叹的相似性：两人同样自佛罗里达崭露头角，在极年轻的岁数跳过传统大学路径直接跃入最高级别的职业赛场，如今又双双完成从超级巨星到体育资产所有者的华丽转型。 A-Rod 随后动情地向麦迪致敬。他表示自己从第一天起就紧密关注着麦迪的职业生涯，就像当年关注凯文·加内特（Kevin Garnett）和科比·布莱恩特一样——在那个年代，高中生直接征战职业联盟是极其罕见的现象，他们共同归属于一个精英而又孤独的极小圈子。A-Rod 坦言，麦迪固然是入选奈史密斯篮球名人堂的历史级传奇，但他最钦佩麦迪的一点，是麦迪数十年来始终如一的绅士品格与修养：不仅悉心呵护着由妻子与四个孩子组成的家庭，在商业帝国中运筹帷幄，更在 NBC 的 NBA 演播席上展现出卓越的专业见解。麦迪对这番极高评价深受感动，连声道谢并送上彼此的祝福。 ## Notable quotes > [01:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=69s) 达沃斯到底是个什么鬼地方？ — 特雷西·麦克格雷迪 > [03:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=194s) 无论棒球、篮球还是橄榄球，我都渴望在某一天拥有一支球队。 — 特雷西·麦克格雷迪 > [03:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=194s) 我加入，需要我做什么？ — 文斯·卡特 > [03:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=194s) 你们想成为这支球队的一分子吗？ — 特里·佩古拉 > [05:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=330s) 它为你带来了资格，每个人都知道要进入那个门槛有多难。无论你在球场上多么辉煌，都不是任何人都能获得这样的机会。 — 特雷西·麦克格雷迪 > [07:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=465s) 你需要我提供什么帮助尽管开口，无论在你的任何商业探索中，我都会全力支持。 — 比尔队女合伙人 > [07:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=465s) 这人绝对进不来，无论他多有钱，资方绝不会容许他加入。 — 特雷西·麦克格雷迪 > [10:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=624s) 嘿表哥，我只有15分钟，赶紧说正事！ — 特雷西·麦克格雷迪 > [10:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=624s) 兄弟，既然咱俩平时聊了这么多，干脆开个节目把钱赚了。 — 特雷西·麦克格雷迪 > [10:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=624s) 我是多米尼加人，我成天都能蹦出各种表亲，但没一个是我愿意请到家里吃感恩节大餐的。 — 亚历克斯·罗德里格斯 > [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=900s) 相信你付出的努力，麦迪，只管相信苦练，它终会给你回报，你要清楚自己到底是谁。 — 科比·布莱恩特 > [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=900s) 科比，行了行了，我得挂了，下周见吧！ — 亚历克斯·罗德里格斯 > [16:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1018s) 不是所有人都能理解你的愿景，也不是所有人都能看到你眼中的未来。既然别人不信，那我只能靠自己走一条不同的路。 — 特雷西·麦克格雷迪 > [21:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4&t=1305s) 跟着钱走准没错，宝贝！ — 特雷西·麦克格雷迪 ## Mentioned 特雷西·麦克格雷迪, 亚历克斯·罗德里格斯, 杰森·凯利, 文斯·卡特, 特里·佩古拉, 布鲁斯·史密斯, 瑟曼·托马斯, 多米尼克·道斯, 威尔·帕克, 迈克尔·乔丹, 魔术师约翰逊, 拉里·伯德, 姚明, 科比·布莱恩特, 德尔·哈里斯, 索尼·瓦卡罗, 拉马尔·奥多姆, 凯文·加内特, 蒂姆·托马斯, 勒布朗·詹姆斯, 贾达基斯, 拉伦兹·泰特, 约翰·沃尔, 蒂姆·哈达威, 谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大, 凯文·杜兰特, 卡梅隆·安东尼, 玛丽亚·泰勒, 布法罗比尔队, 明尼苏达森林狼队, 坦帕湾海盗队, 亚特兰大猎鹰队, 多伦多猛龙队, 休斯敦火箭队, 奥兰多魔术队, 萨克拉门托国王队, 达沃斯世界经济论坛, Ones Basketball League, NexGen Sports, ABCD 训练营, AVP, Big3, NBA on NBC, Adidas, Jordan 品牌 ## Video description Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly talk to NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady to discuss how he became an NFL owner, why the ‘90s revolutionized basketball and returning to the NBA as an NBC analyst. #Sports #NBA #NFL -------- Like this video? Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/Bloomberg?sub_confirmation=1 Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com for just $1.99 your first month: https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions?in_source=YoutubeOriginals Bloomberg Originals offers bold takes for curious minds on today’s biggest topics. Hosted by experts covering stories you haven’t seen and viewpoints you haven’t heard, you’ll discover cinematic, data-led shows that investigate the intersection of business and culture. Exploring every angle of climate change, technology, finance, sports and beyond, Bloomberg Originals is business as you’ve never seen it. Subscribe for business news, but not as you've known it: exclusive interviews, fascinating profiles, data-driven analysis, and the latest in tech innovation from around the world. Visit our partner channel Bloomberg News for global news and insight in an instant. [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNctH10Ub4)

Source quotes

[1:09] 特雷西·麦克格雷迪: 达沃斯到底是个什么鬼地方？ [3:14] 特雷西·麦克格雷迪: 无论棒球、篮球还是橄榄球，我都渴望在某一天拥有一支球队。 [3:14] 文斯·卡特: 我加入，需要我做什么？ [3:14] 特里·佩古拉: 你们想成为这支球队的一分子吗？ [5:30] 特雷西·麦克格雷迪: 它为你带来了资格，每个人都知道要进入那个门槛有多难。无论你在球场上多么辉煌，都不是任何人都能获得这样的机会。 [7:45] 比尔队女合伙人: 你需要我提供什么帮助尽管开口，无论在你的任何商业探索中，我都会全力支持。 [7:45] 特雷西·麦克格雷迪: 这人绝对进不来，无论他多有钱，资方绝不会容许他加入。 [10:24] 特雷西·麦克格雷迪: 嘿表哥，我只有15分钟，赶紧说正事！ [10:24] 特雷西·麦克格雷迪: 兄弟，既然咱俩平时聊了这么多，干脆开个节目把钱赚了。 [10:24] 亚历克斯·罗德里格斯: 我是多米尼加人，我成天都能蹦出各种表亲，但没一个是我愿意请到家里吃感恩节大餐的。 [15:00] 科比·布莱恩特: 相信你付出的努力，麦迪，只管相信苦练，它终会给你回报，你要清楚自己到底是谁。 [15:00] 亚历克斯·罗德里格斯: 科比，行了行了，我得挂了，下周见吧！ [16:58] 特雷西·麦克格雷迪: 不是所有人都能理解你的愿景，也不是所有人都能看到你眼中的未来。既然别人不信，那我只能靠自己走一条不同的路。 [21:45] 特雷西·麦克格雷迪: 跟着钱走准没错，宝贝！

Source quotes

[1:09] Tracy McGrady: What the hell is Davos? [15:00] Kobe Bryant: trust the work [15:00] Alex Rodriguez: Kobe, I got to go!

Original transcript

[0:00] - 18 years old, [0:01] I'm a millionaire. I've never learned anything about [0:04] finances, didn't know anything about being a professional [0:07] basketball player. [0:08] Everything that I've been learning at 18 years old to [0:11] where I am to now is just me being aware of who I am, [0:15] where I come from, and wanting to learn more about me. [0:24] - Welcome back to the Deal. I'm Jason Kelly. [0:25] - And I'm Alex Rodriguez. [0:26] - And coming up on today's show, Tracy McGrady. [0:29] This is a legendary Hall of fame basketball player, [0:33] but a guy who has a lot in common with you. [0:37] - First of all, he's one of my favorite players [0:38] of all time in the NBA. [0:39] Just an incredible talent. [0:41] As far as what we have in similarities, [0:43] we're both from Florida, we both come from humble beginnings [0:46] and we're one of the few that went straight from high [0:48] school into the pros. [0:50] And now we're both part of team ownership. [0:52] - That's right. Owners in your case, obviously in the NBA, [0:54] in his case, the NFL, he came in [0:57] as a minority investor in the Buffalo Bills. [0:59] So we're seeing a lot of him in owner suites, [1:03] but also seeing a lot of him on TV. [1:05] We're going to get into that a lot more [1:07] with T-Mac here on The Deal. [1:09] Tracy, what a treat to have you here in New York. [1:11] We're going to get into everything you've done throughout your [1:15] career, but I wanted to defer to my partner here [1:18] for the first question, [1:19] because you guys have a lot in common. [1:20] - Yeah. T-Mac, great to have you here. [1:22] - Yes sir. [1:23] - Now, who would've thought that? [1:24] Two kids from Florida, right? [1:25] Humble beginnings, straight out of high school to the pros [1:28] and just a few months ago we were just kicking it in Davos. [1:31] Yes. First of all, what'd you think of it? [1:33] What'd you learn and would you go back? [1:36] - So first off, it's a pleasure to be here with you guys. [1:39] I'm a baseball head. Baseball is my first love. [1:42] And this guy right here is one of my, one of my faves. [1:44] So this is an honor for me. Davos. [1:47] I didn't know anything about it. I've never heard about it. [1:50] And when it was brought to my attention it was like, yo, [1:53] you got invited to go to Davos. [1:54] I'm like, what the hell is Davos? Like, what is that? [1:58] But I looked it up and I was like, oh, this is, [2:00] this is big time. [2:01] Like this is where I need to be. [2:04] And I'm driving in, man, I've never been to Switzerland. [2:07] I'm driving in and I'm just amazed of the scenic route, [2:11] amazing scenery. [2:12] Driving in, traffic is a little, [2:15] you know, backed up a little bit. [2:17] And I looked to my left. [2:18] It's like, yo, that's A-Rod right there, [2:21] walking on the street right there. [2:23] So he was the first person I saw and [2:25] - Sliding around. [2:27] - So the reason why I was there, I spoke on this sports panel [2:30] and of course, you know, I have a, a lot [2:33] of international relationships. [2:35] I do a lot of traveling to China, a lot of business [2:38] that I, I do over there. [2:39] But just having conversation with a lot of powers that be, [2:42] it was how do we, you know, bridge that gap between, [2:46] you know, US and Asian market is what I was talking about. [2:50] But it was, it was an eye opener. [2:53] I'm in the stage of like really learning business, right? [2:57] He said, we come from humble beginnings [2:59] and that is very true for me. [3:00] Everything that I've been learning at 18 years old to [3:03] where I am to now is just me being aware of who I am, [3:07] where I come from, [3:08] and wanting to learn more about me, [3:11] you know, every single day. [3:13] - So it's interesting, one of you, I think, signature deals [3:16] of late is going in as minority owner of the Buffalo Bills. [3:20] We talk about the NFL a lot on this show. [3:23] Give us the origin story. How, how does that happen? [3:25] And, and and what are you thinking as you get into that? [3:28] - So I wanted to always, whether it was baseball, basketball [3:31] or football, I wanted to be an owner of, of some sort. [3:34] That opportunity presented itself. [3:36] Because I wanted to have some ownership in the Tampa Bay [3:39] Buccaneers, because it's hometown team. [3:41] Yeah. Right there. Got to the table, [3:43] got a call about Atlanta Falcons, they were too far along. [3:47] I think that was like Dominique Dawes [3:49] and Will Packer I think was in that deal. [3:52] So there was too far along the line. [3:55] And then Buffalo Bills came up [3:58] and you probably asked why Buffalo? [3:59] Well, I played three years in Toronto. Yeah, right. [4:03] The Toronto border is right there. [4:04] And when I was playing in 97 to 2000, you know, Bruce Smith, [4:08] Thurman Thomas, all those boys used to show up [4:11] to our games in Toronto. [4:13] So going back, like over the years, [4:18] I've always invested in other people's ideas and ideologies [4:22] and things that, that, that they wanted to do. [4:25] This is a time where I was like, yo, let, [4:28] let me call my cousin [4:29] and see if he has any interest in, you know, [4:31] going in this deal with me. [4:33] So I called Vince and like, yo, [4:34] - This is Vince Carter. [4:36] - This is Vince Carter, my cousin. [4:37] So I called him, I was like, yo, you have any interest in, [4:40] you know, being a NFL owner? [4:42] What, like, what, what? Yeah. [4:45] So right away he was like, I'm in, [4:48] you know, what we got to do? [4:50] So we made some calls, we went to a game and [4:53] after the game we sat with Terry. [4:55] Right? Terry Pegula. And this is like, [4:59] I'm thinking we auditioning [5:02] and I got to be on my best behavior [5:05] and really sell this guy that I really want to be a part [5:09] of this, this ownership group. [5:11] But we just casually had a conversation, man, [5:13] after the game sitting in his office [5:15] and just chopping it up for about an hour. [5:17] And from that conversation [5:19] he was like, you want to be a part of this? [5:23] What? Of course. Yeah, absolutely. [5:25] - That's why you're here. [5:27] - Right, and, and it happened just like that. [5:29] - So let's take it right from there. So I love the story. [5:32] I love how you were proactive and called your cousin Vince. [5:36] I loved how you went to a Bills game. [5:37] That's really how deals are are done. Right? [5:39] My question is, once you finish that conversation [5:41] and you get home and reality hits [5:43] and you know, you got to write a big, big check [5:46] because the first time, T, [5:48] that I wrote a big check, I couldn't sleep for a week. [5:50] - Right? - Right. We're not [5:50] used to writing those type of checks. [5:52] Yeah. Walk me a little bit through that conversation [5:53] and how nervous were you when you had to write that check [5:55] and actually release your bank account? [5:57] - So I would say this, I, [6:00] I wasn't nervous about it [6:02] because I had put in the work, right? [6:05] I think my excitement was just overshadow of [6:09] what the check was that I was writing. [6:11] I'm, I'm part owner of this franchise [6:14] and like my mind went to, it's not just, [6:19] you know, I write this check and then I sit back [6:21] and the Bills do their thing [6:23] and the value of it is this, this franchise goes up. [6:26] No, there are people that involved in this [6:28] that I actually can have some conversations with [6:31] and actually prolong or, or further and improve my portfolio [6:35] because of what these guys have. The check? [6:37] Mm. It was big, [6:39] but I wasn't like, I was too excited A-Rod, I really was. [6:43] I was like, man, I cannot believe this is happening. [6:46] Because there's not a lot of guys look like me that [6:49] is part of those groups. [6:51] - And so to that point, do you think [6:54] people look at you differently? Because you're an owner? [6:56] - I don't give a damn. I mean, I, I I don't know. [6:59] I don't care. [7:00] - Yeah. - Whether they do or they don't. [7:02] - I guess maybe ask in a different way. [7:04] Do, has that come to fruition [7:06] that you feel like you are able [7:09] to go into different rooms because you're an owner? [7:11] - For sure. [7:13] Yeah, for sure. For for sure. [7:16] I mean, it's, it gives you it. Yeah. [7:21] Because everyone knows how difficult that is. Right? [7:26] And just anybody, I don't care [7:28] how great you were on the basketball court [7:30] or how great you are on the field. [7:32] Like just anybody can't get that opportunity. Yeah. Right. [7:36] So yeah, I'm, I'm looked at differently, [7:38] can walk in different doors [7:41] and those doors are steady opening it up. [7:43] - I mean, you've seen that. - Yeah. There's no question. [7:45] I mean, everything that T says, [7:47] I've said it some in some interview are like, [7:49] I feel the same gratitude [7:52] and the doors open up like, like wildfire. [7:54] I guess my follow up question on that is, [7:56] you talked about some of the benefits from being an owner [8:00] and for being an LP to the Buffalo Bills. [8:02] What are some of the lessons you've [8:03] learned from being in that room? [8:05] - That's a good question. I, I guess certain individuals [8:09] that's involved in this, you know, some certain people are, [8:12] are difficult to deal with. [8:14] But then you run into those people. [8:16] Like I ran into one of our owners All Star Weekend. [8:20] She was actually one of the owners that went in [8:23] with the group that, you know, we went in with. [8:25] And I was having some conversations with her [8:27] and I could not believe [8:29] how generous this lady was in terms of wanting [8:34] to help me right in, [8:36] in my business endeavors in any capacity. [8:40] If, which I needed her. [8:43] Like, she was like, here, whatever you need from me. [8:47] And that was just so refreshing. [8:48] And I, I just felt the, the genuineness of that. [8:52] But then you run into some people like, why you like that? [8:55] And I'll tell you another thing too, I won't say any name, [8:59] but I was at the game where there was another group [9:04] that he brought several groups that were trying to, [9:07] to come in and be the minority partners. [9:10] So we're in the suite [9:13] and I'm quiet as a mouse watching the game, [9:16] but there's the, another partner there just loud [9:18] and obnoxious and just going crazy. [9:22] And I'm sitting back, I was like, yo, I know damn well [9:27] they're not going to allow this guy. [9:28] No way. No way. Because yeah, no way. [9:32] Because of what he was portraying in that moment, [9:38] right there, there wasn't a person of like being humble [9:42] and just really understanding the situation. [9:45] So he ended up not getting in, [9:48] being part of that group. [9:50] And I saw that and I was like, damn, it don't matter [9:52] how much money you have. [9:54] Like you got to be solid, a solid dude, a solid person to, [9:59] to be a part of this group. [10:00] - Jason, I find that to be really [10:01] interesting what T-Mac just said. [10:03] Because one of the lessons [10:04] that I've learned sometimes from being in those rooms in [10:07] those boardrooms that you're just like, look around, [10:09] you're like, what am I doing here? [10:11] Right. I cannot believe. Right. But sometimes more than [10:14] learning what to do is sometimes you learn what not to do. [10:18] That's it. And those lessons, like, stay [10:20] with us. That's it forever. [10:21] - That's it. Yeah. And that was that lesson for me [10:24] because that was that night [10:26] when I don't even know if I'm going to be a part of this group, [10:30] but I know I can't be acting like that. [10:33] And when we got the call that we got in [10:36] and that person then I was like, okay, [10:38] that was the lesson for me. [10:40] - So tell us about Vince, [10:41] what a relationship you guys have had playing together now. [10:45] Business partners. What's the dynamic there? [10:48] Help us. Help us understand that. [10:49] - Yeah. So we discovered, [10:50] we was cousin when I got drafted in high school. [10:53] Two years we played together in Toronto. [10:56] You know, formed a, a great bond. [10:59] And then just over the years, [11:01] just having those conversations, just really picking up. [11:04] We both have families, we talk about everything. [11:08] When he calls me, I have to carve out two hours [11:10] or I have to let him know, hey cuz, [11:12] I only got 15 minutes. [11:14] Get it in. [11:16] - And how often does he call you? [11:17] - We would talk probably about twice a week like that. Wow. [11:20] Seriously. Wow. And that's why we started a podcast. [11:23] Because I'm like, bruh, we doing all this talking. Yeah. [11:26] - Might as well get paid. [11:29] - That is how this tends to happen. Exactly. - There you go. [11:30] - It's how it tends to happen. - There you go. [11:32] So like I said, me, I'm always business driven. [11:36] What's the next challenge? [11:37] I'm always looking for the next challenge. [11:39] Never thought I would be doing TV. NBC opportunity comes up. [11:43] Right? So we we're both on NBC. Yeah. [11:46] And I'm like, because this, like, this is for us to, [11:51] you know, capitalize off of this [11:53] and everything that's happening for us. [11:55] So it's like Buffalo Bills, I call him, [11:59] I told you I invested in a lot of people, others ideas, [12:02] but it's now it's like I'm taking my own chances and, [12:06] and being, doing this with my family. [12:07] So it's, it's been man that one of the greatest things, [12:10] decisions that I've made to actually just, you know, [12:13] be involved with my cousin and take this ride with him. [12:16] - Yeah, T you're lucky 'cause you found a cousin like Vince. [12:19] - Yeah. - I'm Dominican. [12:21] I find cousins all the time [12:23] that I never want to invite to Thanksgiving. [12:25] - I'm just telling you about one, I got a million of them. [12:29] - I saw you guys this past Sunday [12:32] and I'm such a big fan of that show. [12:34] You guys are killing it. Appreciate it. [12:35] First of all, you guys look good. [12:36] - Appreciate it. - You sound good. Carmelo's great. - Yeah. [12:38] - Maria's a star, you know? Yeah. - Yes she is. [12:40] - That's this, this is NBA on NBC. Yeah. [12:41] - Pre and post game. [12:42] Right? Yeah. And I love how you guys go on [12:44] location, which is kind of cool. [12:45] What, first of all, you enjoying it? [12:47] - I never thought I would do TV [12:50] and with the NBC it was like, man, [12:53] this is like the golden era. [12:55] This is what I grew up on right in the nineties, [12:58] right when I fell in love with basketball. [13:00] This like watching NBC back in the day, what made me want [13:03] to be a basketball player and I played on NBC. [13:08] So that nostalgia feeling just coming back [13:10] and now I get to talk about the game [13:12] that actually raised me. [13:14] Oh, that it was just, it was awesome. [13:15] It was a no brainer for me to be on that show. [13:18] - I'm the oldest here, but we, we all [13:21] loved basketball in that era. [13:24] What did that era do for the business [13:26] of basketball in your estimation? [13:28] - Well, I would say [13:31] when you look at Michael Jordan, what he was able to do [13:34] for the sport, for us players in terms of [13:37] what he did off the court, right? [13:39] With Jordan brand selling sneakers, [13:42] I became an Adidas athlete. [13:44] I was able to sell millions of sneakers. [13:46] The global imprint [13:48] that he has selling sneakers over in China, [13:51] like Magic, Bird and, [13:53] and Mike like opened up this whole global portal for us [13:57] to be able to, to walk through and, [13:59] and capitalize off of that. [14:00] I'm going to tell you what it did for it. [14:01] Because I was going to China back in like 19- [14:05] my first trip to China was probably like 1998, 1999. [14:09] - Whoa. - Yeah, I started early [14:12] and there wasn't a lot [14:14] of basketball being played in China at that time. [14:18] You know, I just seen the trajectory of [14:20] that sport just trending up. [14:23] And now you're talking about over 350, [14:26] 400 million people are playing basketball in China, right? [14:29] So that's the evolution of basketball. [14:30] And I was one of the, I was part of the team, a group [14:33] that played with the Houston Rockets [14:35] and the Sacramento Kings opened up the China games. [14:37] So we was part of the first global China games in 2004. [14:41] - Because you were teammates with- [14:42] - Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was teammates. [14:44] - That must have been incredibly eye-opening from an [14:47] economic opportunity perspective. [14:49] - I'm still capitalizing off of it really to this day. [14:52] Absolutely, man. Yeah. Yeah. [14:54] I was, you know, I mean when you talk about having a, [14:57] a whole freaking consonant on your back and carrying that. [15:00] - Yeah. T, I want to go back to, [15:01] you mentioned Michael Jordan. [15:03] Kobe Bryant. Did you ever have conversations with Michael [15:07] or Kobe that helped you out? [15:09] And if so, what did they tell you? [15:11] - So I had conversations with Kobe. [15:12] Kobe was like my brother because he came out a year early [15:16] before me out of high school like us. [15:18] And I was struggling. [15:20] My rookie year, Kobe struggled his year, rookie year [15:22] because Del Harris, for some reason, they wanted [15:25] to make it hard on the high school kid, right? [15:28] So he went through it. Then I go through it [15:31] and there was a time where I was like, man, I got, I, I have [15:33] to talk to someone that actually has been through this. [15:35] Let me call my brother Kobe. [15:37] So we had extensive conversations, you know, just stand, [15:41] you know, trust the work Mac, [15:42] trust the work, it's going to pay off. [15:44] You know, who you are. [15:45] And just having those conversations got me through [15:49] a really challenging rookie year. [15:51] I can remember, man, I, I get to Orlando, Kobe is, [15:56] is winning championships at this time. [15:58] I'm coming up now in the league. [16:00] So they're talking, you know, trying to compare it [16:03] to who's the best wing and, and my name is coming in that [16:06] and you know, if you know anything about Kobe, [16:08] Kobe doesn't want anybody- - No, no, no, no, no. [16:12] - Being compared to him at this time. [16:14] So that, that right there, I know him, I get it. [16:19] But that's where I come in is like, I'm built that way too. [16:23] Just a different way. - Yeah, you turned it on. [16:25] - Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. [16:26] - Jason, can I give you my Kobe story? [16:28] - Please. [16:29] - There was a time I was struggling [16:30] and I remember driving to the Bronx from my West side [16:32] apartment and phone rang as Kobe [16:35] and Kobe's like, Hey man, don't, [16:37] don't read the press, don't let them get to you. [16:39] Stay with your game. Same kind of advice. [16:42] And then he ends a conversation by saying like, [16:44] I see you're one for 15, I've been studying your film. [16:46] I'm like, okay, wait, where's this going to go? [16:49] He goes, your front foot, you know, you, you, [16:51] you're bailing a little bit and you're back. [16:53] I said, Kobe, I got to go. [16:54] I got, alright, alright, I'll see you next week. [16:58] - All right. Let's talk about The Ones. The, [17:00] the OBL, Ones Basketball League. [17:02] It, it's back. [17:03] My understanding is you sort [17:05] of convened a group at your house [17:06] and were like over dinner, it's not dead. [17:09] We're doing it. Give us the, give us the state of play [17:12] for for OBL [17:13] and then we're going to do a little, [17:15] a little pitch session here. Go ahead. [17:18] - So OBL came from, it was all a dream. [17:21] Sonny Vaccaro started a ABCD camp in Teaneck, New Jersey. [17:26] - Yeah. - Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tim Thomas, [17:31] Trace McGrady, LeBron James, like all the greats. [17:35] And I was a unknown basketball player, like my junior year, [17:38] only known within my region in Florida. [17:42] Outside of that, no one knew who I was. [17:44] After my junior year, I get invited to this camp. [17:47] I'm the last guy invited. I keep hearing about Lamar Odom. [17:50] So I go to this camp and I, he's the first player I play [17:55] and I held my own. [17:56] So throughout this camp, [17:58] I'm holding my own right unknown basketball player. [18:00] Who's this kid from Florida. [18:02] Well, I leave that camp [18:04] and a month later I'm the number one player in the country. [18:06] Mm. So I went from unknown- - Yeah. [18:08] - to the number one player in the country. [18:10] Now it talks about, damn, this kid is actually good. [18:13] He, Kobe Bryant just came out the year before him. [18:15] Kevin Garnett came out the year before him. [18:18] So now that talk about being a draftee in the 1997 [18:22] draft straight out of high school. [18:24] That platform did it for me. [18:27] I'm creating this OBL platform for those guys [18:29] that still have a, a deep love [18:32] and passion for the game of basketball. [18:34] And my proof of concept trial was I went to six cities, [18:38] I'll invite 32 players [18:40] and I'll take eight players, the best players to Sunday [18:44] for the championship [18:46] and have them play one on one. Winner takes all. [18:49] So now after that season, I'm, [18:51] I'm going on a capital run trying [18:53] to raise money for my league [18:54] because I'm getting good feedback [18:56] and I think I've created something magical. [18:59] Well I struck out, I struck out [19:03] and the one thing, and I'm glad that it went that way [19:06] because I've learned a lot on that journey. [19:08] Right. Everybody's not going to believe in your vision. [19:12] Right. Everybody is not going to be able to see your vision [19:14] and what you're trying to create. [19:16] I get that. So I believe in me, [19:20] let me do it something different. [19:22] Let me take a pivot and do it different. [19:24] Like, yo, I I have a gym at my house, [19:27] I'm going to bring everybody in. [19:28] Let's capture this content. Let's keep OBL fresh. [19:31] And from that point, man, I, I think [19:33] that was probably the best decision [19:34] because I had NexGen sports. [19:36] It was an investment group. They saw what I was doing. [19:39] They came in and loved the vision. [19:42] They started AVP, which is a volleyball league. [19:45] Right, right. Yeah. [19:46] And they know how to run a league, alternative league. [19:51] And also they're part of the big three team. Yeah. [19:54] 305 that won the championship. [19:56] So they know how to manage a team. [19:58] So for me, it was just like the perfect partner that came in [20:01] and when he came in, we talked, [20:04] or when they came in, we talked about doing something [20:07] different than what I did at my house versus [20:10] what I did back in '22. [20:11] Let me start cities, let me start battle of the cities, [20:16] let me create teams so where I could build some value up [20:21] and create opportunities for some of my friends [20:26] or influencers in these respectful cities. [20:28] Yeah. And give the, give them ownership of these teams. [20:32] So I have Jadakiss, right? We all know who Jadakiss is. [20:35] He's from Yonkers. So I gave him the New York team. [20:38] He has 15 percent in his New York team. Mm. [20:41] Larenz Tate is my good buddy who's a big time actor, [20:44] is from Chicago. [20:45] He has the Chicago team. [20:47] John Wall is from Raleigh, North Carolina. [20:48] I gave him the Raleigh team. [20:50] Tim Hardaway Sr. has the Miami team. [20:53] So I, I have, I started, I'm starting out with eight teams [20:55] and giving these respectful GM slash owners, you know, [20:59] 15 percent in ownership [21:01] and also allowing them to manage their teams. [21:04] And you know, we having trials like this is, I'm, [21:06] we're building a real league. [21:08] Like this is not a gimmick. This is a real thing. [21:10] So I'm, I'm pretty, you know, [21:14] excited about the opportunity and where this is going. [21:16] And I'm already getting calls from my partners in China. [21:19] They want me to bring it over there. Australia has called. [21:21] And so global is where we want to take it [21:25] because there's a lot of talent when you look around now, [21:27] I mean you have, you know, all of these, you know, kids [21:30] around the world are trying to mimic us. [21:32] You look on social media now, [21:33] you'll see a Chinese kid looking like, you know, [21:36] SGA out there playing basketball. [21:38] Yeah. So I, I just think [21:39] globally is where we want to go with it. And it [21:41] - Sounds like content was the real unlock. [21:43] - Yes sir. - Yes sir. Yeah. Interesting. [21:45] Alright, so we're going to wrap this up with our rapid fire. [21:48] This is going to be a good one. Let, let's do it. [21:49] These some really good questions. All right. [21:51] So just, you know, first thing that comes to your mind, [21:54] if you had to pick one to play for the rest [21:55] of your life, one-on-one or five-on-five? [21:58] - For the rest of my life? [21:59] - Yeah. - One-on-one. [22:01] - Build your dream. [22:02] OBL roster with NBA players from any [22:05] era. Who would you pick? [22:06] - Oh, that's easy. Myself, Kobe and KD. [22:10] - Wow. That's, yeah. [22:11] I, I would not want to play against that team. All right. [22:15] Which current NBA player would win a league [22:17] wide one-on-one tournament? [22:18] - KD. [22:19] - KD. [22:20] - Best one-on-one basketball city? [22:23] - New York. [22:24] - Who's your dream OBL investment partner? [22:27] - I have him. Gen, NexGen Sports. [22:30] - All right. - And Arod, [22:33] - What team do you want to see [22:35] win a championship more than anything? [22:38] - It's supposed to be rapid fire, [22:39] but he stuck me on that one. [22:41] - Should be easy for you. Nah, not really. [22:43] because I played for three franchises [22:45] that I I, that are dear to my heart. [22:46] But I'll say Orlando Magic. Yeah. [22:48] - Any sport. [22:49] - Oh, any sport. - Yes sir. [22:50] - Oh, Buffalo Bills. There you go. [22:51] - There you go. Okay. [22:55] - Follow the money baby. [22:57] - Buffalo Bills that it is probably a better bet than the [23:00] Orlando Magic, unfortunately. [23:01] - I was confused why he wasn't saying it. [23:04] - I didn't hear "any sport." - Any sport. [23:07] Well, T-Mac, this has been amazing. [23:10] I I really, I, you know, as we got into this even more, [23:14] the parallels between you guys are are, [23:16] are really incredible. [23:17] - Yeah. - Especially the move from, you know, [23:19] Florida, going pro, ownership, all of those things. [23:23] - And T, let me tell you like, [23:24] I founded your career from day one, [23:26] just like Kevin Garnett, right? [23:27] Because it was very rare for guys [23:29] to basically go from high school to the pros, right? [23:31] And we, we were part of a small fraternity. [23:33] Kobe being another one. [23:34] But you mentioned, comport yourself in a classy way. [23:37] That's what I've admired the most. Obviously your world is [23:39] Hall of Fame and one of the elites of all time. [23:42] But the way you comport yourself with your wife, [23:43] your four kids, the way you run [23:45] your business, you're killing it [23:46] on NBC, so just keep killing it. [23:48] - God bless man. Man, I appreciate it. [23:49] That means a lot, man. Thank you.