Tracy McGrady attends the first training session with his new team Qingdao Eagles of CBA in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, Oct 25, 2012. [Photo by Cui Meng/chinadaily.com.cn]

The Qingdao Eagles will not disclose the actual amount, but it is clear that the club thinks he is worth every penny, if his performance in the first two days after he arrived is anything to go by.

"He is the right player for us," says club manager Sheng Xishun.

For one, McGrady refused the villa the club rented for him downtown, but chose to stay in a hotel next to the stadium in the eastern part of the city, where his team is training.

He started playing with the squad a day after he landed and has fitted in well, with no requests for special board or lodging.

"People all know he is a high-profile player and some say he will put on airs while he is here. But he is totally professional, and he more than meets our expectations, and admiration," Sheng said.

"I want to tell you this: He is not a gold digger in China. He's here to play good basketball."

To cater for the expected flood of McGrady fans, the Eagles decided to move from their home court at Qingdao University to the much larger Guoxin Stadium, which has three times the 4,000-seat capacity of the old court.

But fans will have to pay more as well, but specific prices have yet to be worked out.

McGrady fans are already waiting in line to see him play.

"I started to love him since middle school," says Xu Haifeng, a sophomore at Qingdao Agricultural University.

"I like his character and skills. Although the ticket price will be higher this season, I will definitely still go and watch him play."

For McGrady himself, working well with his teammates is his immediate priority.

"These guys work really hard. They are in great condition. They are willing and eager to learn and we are just trying to build up our chemistry. I'm also trying to teach them certain tactics that I know from the game of basketball," says McGrady, whose ambition is to lead Qingdao to the CBA championship.

"Chemistry means knowing your roles, playing hard, everybody being one on the court and being good teammates: If we continue to grow and work hard and establish some sort of rapport and play hard every night, we will give our all to win."

Although the new CBA season schedule has yet to be officially announced, the team has disclosed its first match may be an away game against Yao Ming's Shanghai Sharks.

McGrady is a former teammate of Yao's at the Rockets and good friend with the Chinese basketball icon, but he says he did not consult Yao before coming to China.

"I'm a grown man. I can make my own decision," McGrady says, laughing. "I will see him when we play against his team. He's the boss, but he's not there to pose moves and jump hoops. That will be fine."

He is however, looking forward to playing against the Sharks.

No matter what his future with the CBA may hold, McGrady has decided to end his career here after his current stint.

"Yes, this is it. I'm not going back to the NBA. I retired from the NBA. So, CBA is it," he says.

"I play basketball here because the fans have been so loyal, so supportive and so passionate. They just show great support every time I come over here. This is the only thing I come to give to them before I stop playing."

Stephon Marbury has already set a good example in the Chinese league by leading the Beijing Ducks to the championship last season. As Marbury rose as basketball favorite in China, his brand, Starbury, also became popular among fans.

McGrady says he would like to follow the same course, but for him as a player, basketball is still his main focus.

"I'm sure there will be some good business opportunities coming along the way," he says. "Right now, I'll just concentrate on playing basketball. My agent and my attorney handle the business side of things. If a chance comes and it makes sense, then we will do something."

As for retiring from basketball, McGrady says it's early days yet.

"I don't look that far down the road. We haven't played a game yet," he says. "I may have retired from the NBA, but at CBA, I haven't even started."

Contact the writers at leilei@chinadaily.com.cn and xiechuanjiao@chinadaily.com.cn.

From NBA to CBA                                       China Daily picks eight (former) NBA players who came to China and grades them according to their contribution to the game here. Stephon Marbury (Beijing Ducks) * * * * * Having led an average team to the league championship in his first season with the Beijing Ducks, Marbury has reached a personal career peak while bringing rare pro-basketball success to the capital city. Bonding with his Chinese teammates with a positive attitude, Marbury motivated the youngsters with hard work and a strong belief. He also showed a willingness to blend into the Chinese culture - taking the subway to the gym, attending public activities and socializing with fans via the Internet. With his massive popularity, the New York native has also achieved notable commercial success, launching his online sneaker shop, releasing his autobiography and signing multiple endorsement deals. Quincy Douby (Xinjiang Flying Tigers) * * * * Douby's phenomenal performance (29.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists) with the Flying Tigers in the 2010-2011 season deserves to be underlined in league history. He led his team against defending champion Guangdong in the finals with a prolific scoring display and great play-making. His 53 points in Game 1 broke the finals scoring record previously held by Yao Ming (49 in 2002).He also won that season's All-Star MVP while setting an example for NBA bench players with Chinese ambitions. Marcus Williams and Charles Gaines (Shanxi Brave Dragons) * * * * Not as famous as the NBA players who jumped to China during last year's lockout, the duo of Williams and Gaines provided reliability and efficiency for the Brave Dragons and helped the small-market team reach the semifinals for the first time last season. Their presence transformed Shanxi's thin roster into an elite squad while also drawing unprecedented focus on the team's home city of Taiyuan, which used to be a speck on the nation's basketball map. The club has signed the tandem for another year at double their salaries, so expect at least a repeat of last season's performance. J.R. Smith (Zhejiang Golden Bulls) * * * Smith demanded five-star accommodation and other privileges during his two-month stint with the Golden Bulls, and also gave the team's management a few headaches, but he single-handedly lifted its media exposure and ticket sales through his on-court performances. The former Denver Nugget topped the CBA's scoring table with 34.4 points per game, but failed to steer the team to the playoffs and, as expected, returned to the United States to join the New York Knicks after his contract ended. Aaron Brooks (Guangdong Southern Tigers) * * * If seven-time champion Guangdong won the finals against Beijing, Brooks' rating would have been higher. After an initial adjustment period, Brooks, Yao's former Houston Rockets teammate, started to enjoy playing with the defending champion in the playoffs, but still came up short against Marbury. Wilson Chandler (Zhejiang Lions) * * The Lions 4-0 loss to the Ducks in the playoffs' opening round highlighted the importance of Chandler, who left the team after the regular season. Joining the CBA in his prime, Chandler tried to maintain his shape and touch during the NBA lockout, averaging 27 points and 12 rebounds to help the Lions reach the postseason. Kenyon Martin (Xinjiang Flying Tigers) * * Martin was by far the most disappointing high-profile import. Reportedly costing $270 million (the most lucrative one-year contract in CBA history), Martin played only 12 games for Xinjiang and put up sub-par numbers of 13.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. - Sun Xiaochen