Six-foot-nine pitching prospect Tracy McGrady (the same one that spent 17 seasons in the NBA) made the opening day roster of the Sugar Land Skeeters, part of the independent Atlantic League and the carnivale world of minor league baseball, ESPN reported.

"It's an honor to be a part of this club," McGrady said in a statement released by the team. "To be a part of the team means everything to me and it's a dream come true. I look forward to coming to the ballpark not only to play the game, but to be in the clubhouse building camaraderie with these guys. I am excited to start the journey we're going to take this season."

Back when news of McGrady's pitching ambitions first broke, he was throwing a high 80s fastball that felt slightly faster, given his greater than average height.

"He's so tall and his arms are so long. His downward slope, you're not going to see that too often," Barret Barnes, a minor league outfielder who toed the line during one of McGrady's February throwing sessions, told KRIV-TV. "When you have a presence like that on the mound, it's really hard to settle in and be comfortable hitting."

"Say his [velocity] is 87, but with his arms and his body, it feels like it's 90-91," Barnes, a first round draft pick of the Pittsburg Pirates, added.

The 35 year-old McGrady wasn't a lock to make the roster. In February, his signing was more of an experiment (and perhaps a mini-publicity stunt). His position was only guaranteed on Wednesday, a day before the team's first game. Whether the Skeeters plan to use him on the field or as a revenue-booster remains to be seen.In his last exhibition appearance, he allowed three hits and a run in an inning of work, according to ESPN.

Independent leagues like the Atlantic are typical havens for former MLB (and now NBA) stars. Because they're not affiliated with a major league team, they have more freedom to make roster decisions. A 50 year-old Roger Clemens pitched for the Skeeters a few seasons ago (and pitched pretty well).

"Tracy is on the team," manager Gary Gaetti told KRIV-TV in Houston on Wednesday. "He's just done what needed to be done since the idea came about. "He showed enough progress. He showed enough ability and we're going to see where this goes."