Basketball legend Tracy McGrady is bringing his Hall of Fame pedigree to the college ranks in a unique new role. The seven-time NBA All-Star and two-time scoring champion has been named a strategic adviser for Wagner College's men's basketball program, where his son, Laymen, is set to play.
In this unpaid advisory position under head coach Dwan McMillan, McGrady will focus on three key areas: developing name, image and likeness (NIL) investment strategies, enhancing marketing efforts, and guiding player development. It's a role that leverages McGrady's deep NBA experience and business acumen—even though he himself never played college basketball.
"This is about giving back and helping these young men navigate the modern game," McGrady said in a statement. "The landscape has changed dramatically with NIL, and I want to help Wagner College stay ahead of the curve."
Laymen McGrady, who spent last season at Oral Roberts, will join the Seahawks under his father's advisory watch. The elder McGrady currently works as a studio analyst for NBC's NBA coverage, but his new role at Wagner marks his first formal involvement in college basketball.
For Wagner, this is a major coup. The Staten Island-based Northeast Conference program is coming off a 14-17 season under McMillan, who recently took over full-time after serving as interim coach. The school has a rich basketball history—two-time national champion Dan Hurley got his first college head coaching job at Wagner before moving on to Rhode Island and eventually UConn.
With a Hall of Famer now in their corner, the Seahawks are hoping to turn that history into future success, both on the court and in the rapidly evolving world of college athletics.
