McGrady went straight from high school to the NBA, being drafted ninth in the 1997 draft by the Raptors. The following season, Carter declared for the draft after three years at UNC. McGrady mentioned his older cousin to then-Raptors coach Butch Carter. “I told him, ‘We got to draft him, man. We got to draft. I mean, I was 18 years old, in a foreign country, and if y’all trying to make me the future of this franchise, I need some input and I want somebody to go with me that I feel comfortable with. Plus, he’s the most talented cat in this draft. Put us together.” The Raptors obliged, and NBA history was born. “It was just such a joy,” McGrady said. “Unbelievable. To have him as a teammate and finding out we was cousins at the same time. Then to watch someone become a star right before your eyes and take the league by storm at such a young age. “He came in his rookie year and he was doing some s— that we never seen before. And what I tell you, I was like the biggest Vince Carter fan.”