Congressional Republicans have a narrow window for a huge win: if the House GOP can hang together and agree on a budget resolution with the Senate GOP and President-elect Trump, every employer and employee in America banks an enormous win by the end of February: Extension of the Trump tax cuts.

But the debate among Republicans right now is whether to take the wide gate or the narrow gate. Right now it looks the Congressional GOP is headed towards the wide gate. What a gamble. What a big bet. What an unnecessary risk.

If the GOP can hold its majorities together it can pass not one but two budget-reconciliation packages by the beginning of summer.  That would allow more time to refine the tax package which is admittedly complex.

But they could get 70%+ of the tax package right now, along with big lifts on the border and our military rebuild. There’s a lot of disagreement among Republicans on some of the fine print on the IRS code and that means difficult negotiations are ahead on some provisions of the tax code. But the cliche of the hour should be: The perfect must not be the enemy of the good. That is what is happening right now.

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If for any reason the GOP House majority fractures—and the majority is so narrow that those majority-wrecking reasons are going to arrive like the ubiquitous Beltway pollen come April—the second reconciliation will not make it over the line and a massive tax hike will hit every business in America come January 1, 2026.

Small businesses need certainty more than anything. They can’t get certainty about the effectiveness of marketing or the best product mix. But they absolutely need certainty on the tax code. So do retirees looking at withdrawals from their savings. So do mega-cap corporations looking to make enormous investments in manufacturing or data facilities. All of these decisions are on hold until the Congress provides the people it represents with certainty on at least most of the IRS Code.

HOUSE GOP FISCAL HAWKS WARN TRUMP TAX CUTS IN DANGER OF EXPIRING UNDER NEW SENATE-BACKED PLAN

President-elect Trump would be well served by demanding “all of the above” in the first reconciliation. Some Members of Congress are hearing senior Trump advisor Stephen Miller’s demand for immediate legislative action on the border and mistaking that consistent and coherent message for “Only the border matters.” Miller is absolutely right to keep pounding on the need to authorize and fully fund completion of the Wall, expansion of the Border Patrol and ICE facilities and authorities —100%.

But Miller is not saying that the president-elect wants only the border and immigration provisions in the first budget-reconciliation package. In addition to the border provisions and the military rebuild, Trump promised extension and revision of his signature tax cuts. He has to deliver on that pledge which in fact unlocks the economic renaissance and productivity gains the country needs to calm inflation, lower interest rates and supercharge genuine economic growth.

The country’s private sector needs certainty on the tax code. As soon as possible, and as much as possible. Trump wants a second Trump boom —the sort of economy he was presiding over before COVID stalled the world for two years.

It’s all right there for the taking, but the Congressional GOP has grown hesitant to demand of itself the discipline to do it all right now. It’s the biggest gamble I’ve seen since Leader McConnell announced that there would be no hearings and no votes on any nominee to replace Justice Scalia after the great man died so unexpectedly in early 2016.

McConnell rightly sensed that the direction of the Supreme Court was a crucial issue, that Americans cared deeply about our fundamental trust in the Constitution as written and amended. McConnell made a big bet, which Trump saw and raised with his release of his list of possible nominees during the 2016 and which Barack Obama wrongly called by nominating Merrick Garland. Trump and McConnell (and the Constitution) won.

Now however the GOP majorities in Congress are sending signals of timidity in the face of enormous opportunity. Senators and Representatives have to focus and execute on gaining an enormous win right now.  Not just the border bills. Not just the military rebuild. But the tax cuts and indeed much more.

A view of the US Capitol in Washington D.C., United States, on Nov. 4, 2024. Anthony Brandisi served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

It’s a rare moment of opportunity for free markets and free peoples. But Congress has to seize the moment and move a big bill—an enormous, game-changing bill. Fortune favors the bold, as will the 2026 elections. Want to keep and grow the GOP majorities? Unleash the American entrepreneur sooner rather than later (or never at all if bad things befall the small majority in the House.)

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Trump is going to get his nominees. And he can get everything he demands in the first budget and reconciliation. Here’s hoping that the Transition Team makes time for the President-elect to talk with Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Thune to spell out his “must haves.” Trump the developer will know that opportunities are fleeting. Hopefully he will persuade the GOP to act as though its majority will be gone by April. Because it could be.

The ghost of Jim Jeffords should be haunting both sides of the Hill right now. And if you don’t get that reference, you won’t understand why there is real urgency in the moment.

Hugh Hewitt is host of “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” heard weekday mornings 6am to 9am ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh wakes up America on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s news roundtable hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990.  Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcast, and this column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today.

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ALTOONA, Pa. — While UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s alleged killer’s motive has not been released by officials, the public has been speculating that the suspect had strong grievances with both the health care industry and capitalism in general.

Authorities arrested Luigi Mangione, 26, in a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday, at which point he allegedly presented local police with a fake ID and appeared to start shaking when they asked if he had been in New York recently. 

Authorities also found a handwritten manifesto condemning the health care industry, as NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny previously told Fox News. The manifesto specifically mentioned UnitedHealthcare.

Curtis Sliwa, founder of New York City’s Guardian Angels, told Fox News Digital that “in every era, there are people who go out, take the law into their own hands, and they become heroes.”

OBAMACARE PROVISION AMONG IVY LEAGUE MURDER SUSPECT’S POSSIBLE TRIGGERS: RET. FBI AGENT

“In this case, I think what is most stunning to me is the number of women who have embraced Luigi not because he is a good-looking guy with abs, but rather because of what they believe is this tremendous overreach, especially if this particular health care company in which you have so many denials of procedures that had been guaranteed,” Sliwa said.

UNITED HEALTHCARE CEO MURDER SUSPECT HAS OUTBURST OUTSIDE PENNSYLVANIA COURTHOUSE

He added his belief that the anger regarding the health care industry that has surfaced from Thompson’s murder is misplaced.

“These health care insurance industry people have severe problems with how they operate. But you don’t settle things by shooting people in the back.”

— Curtis Sliwa

The Altoona Police Department in a Tuesday press conference said it is actively investigating threats toward civilians and McDonald’s employees after reports surfaced that a worker at the fast-food chain called 911 to report a sighting of Mangione, who was arrested shortly after the call. The police department has also been receiving threats.

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in midtown Manhattan on Dec. 4. (Businesswire | NYPD Crimestoppers)

“This is not the way we handle things,” Sliwa said. “You don’t start threatening the person who was responsible for ID’ing him. That’s sort of like the code of gangs when they say ‘snitches get stitches and end up in ditches.’”

Nicholas Creel, associate professor of Business Law and Ethics at Georgia College & State University, told Fox News Digital that “America is currently in a period of rising populist sentiment, one where anger at elites, particularly wealthy corporate executives, is increasingly common.”

“[I]t is anything but surprising to see so many people identifying more with the criminal than the victim in this case.”

— Nicholas Creel

“This explains why so many people across social media began expressing support for Luigi Mangione’s actions as soon as they learned who his victim was,” Creel said. “A health insurance CEO is perhaps the pinnacle of a wealthy elite that many now see as being responsible for their financial troubles, so it is anything but surprising to see so many people identifying more with the criminal than the victim in this case.”

Luigi Mangione is pictured in a Pennsylvania mugshot after his arrest in connection with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)

Creel added that rhetoric from those supporting Mangione can “absolutely have a clear and negative effect on the safety of wealthy corporate executives, as it gives people a specific target for their anger.”

“This is why so many other health insurance companies immediately took down identifying information for their executive teams, to try to make it at least a little more difficult for them to be doxxed by the populist mobs that see this murder as a rallying point to strike out against corporate elites,” Creel said.

WHO IS LUIGI MANGIONE, SUSPECT IN UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO MURDER?

The suspected gunman in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder, believed to be Luigi Mangione, is seen flirting with a hostel employee on surveillance footage before the Dec. 4 shooting. (NYPD)

Dr. Rachel D. Miller, LMFT, founder of Hold the Vision Therapy in Chicago, told Fox News Digital that she is seeing the impacts of capitalism inequality in her practice and with her clients every day.

“Almost everyone is one major medical catastrophe from being homeless, and the system continues to pressure them from multiple angles.”

— Dr. Rachel D. Miller

“What I have been seeing in my clinical work is increased anxiety around employment stability, increased challenges in the ability to make ends meet and an underlying fear of any catastrophic event, such as loss of vehicle, loss of health care,” Miller said.

Luigi Mangione is currently being held at the SCI Huntingdon State Correctional facility in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, after being arrested on Monday for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. (David Dee Delgado for Fox News Digital)

Bill Knack, founder and president of First Responder Protective Services, which delivers executive protection for high-profile leaders and dignitaries across the country, similarly told Fox News Digital that this rhetoric “leads to a slow burn of anger that turns into action.”

“It pushes people who already resent wealth into following messages that single out certain leaders,” he said. “We have managed cases where executives faced direct, specific threats after their names spread through similar online writings.”

COULD IVY LEAGUE MURDER SUSPECT LUIGI MANGIONE FACE FEDERAL CHARGES?

Luigi Mangione is pictured in a Facebook photo. (Luigi Mangione/Facebook)

Mangione, a private-high-school and Ivy League-educated young professional from the Baltimore area, is charged with multiple counts in both Pennsylvania and New York, where he is facing a murder charge. 

Since his arrest, internet sleuths have been digging through Mangione’s vast and documented social media presence, with many users praising the murder suspect for allegedly killing Thompson, who was a married father of two originally from a small town in Iowa.

UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO MURDER SUSPECT LUIGI MANGIONE COMPLAINED ABOUT BACK SURGERY BEFORE SLAYING

Bullets lie on the sidewalk at the scene outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot on Dec. 4. (Stefan Jeremiah/AP)

Even a professor at Mangione’s alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, took to TikTok and Instagram to voice praise for the suspect that she has since retracted.

UPenn School of Arts and Sciences Deputy Dean Jeffrey Kallberg issued a statement on Wednesday regarding the post from UPenn Assistant English Professor Julia Alekseyeva.

“Much concern was raised by recent social media posts attributed to Assistant Professor Julia Alekseyeva,” Kallberg said. “Her comments regarding the shooting of Brian Thompson in New York City were antithetical to the values of both the School of Arts and Sciences and the University of Pennsylvania, and they were not condoned by the School or the University. Upon reflection, Assistant Professor Alekseyeva has concurred that the comments were insensitive and inappropriate and has retracted them.”

Luigi Mangione is charged in connection with the Dec. 4 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson (inset) in New York.

Former Washington Post and New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz told Piers Morgan that she and “so many other Americans” felt “joy” upon hearing the news of Thompson’s death.

“I felt, along with so many other Americans, joy, unfortunately.”

— Taylor Lorenz

“I do believe in the sanctity of life and I think that’s why I felt, along with so many other Americans, joy, unfortunately,” Lorenz told Morgan on Monday, adding later, “Maybe not joy, but certainly not empathy.”

On Goodreads, a platform where users review and keep track of books they’ve read, a profile matching Mangione wrote a review for a book by the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski. 

“It’s easy to quickly and thoughtless write this off as the manifesto of a lunatic, in order to avoid facing some of the uncomfortable problems it identifies,” he wrote. “But it’s simply impossible to ignore how prescient many of his predictions about modern society turned out.”

UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO SLAYING SUSPECT LUIGI MANGIONE’S FIRST MEAL BEHIND BARS REVEALED

Writing about Kaczynski’s “Industrial Society and Its Future,” he quoted another online “take that [he] found interesting.”

“When all other forms of communication fail, violence is necessary to survive,” he wrote. “You may not like his methods, but to see things from his perspective, it’s not terrorism, it’s war and revolution.”

UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione faces charges in both New York and Pennsylvania. (David Dee Delgado for Fox News Digital)

Mangione recently lived in a Honolulu-based coliving space called Surfbreak Coliving, which is described on its website as a “co-working space for remote workers and digital nomads.”

“The entire time that he [Mangione] lived at Surfbreak, he was a great community member,” his former roommate, R.J. Martin, told Fox News’ Jesse Waters on Tuesday. “He kind of followed by our values and our ethics to leave things better than you found them. He was always contributing, taking care of other people. And even after he moved out, he came and hung out and contributed to the community, spearheaded a book club.”

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In New York, Mangione faces one count of murder, two counts of second-degree criminal weapons possession, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document and one count of third-degree criminal weapons possession.

In Pennsylvania, he faces one count of forgery, one count of carrying a firearm without a license, one count of tampering with records or identification, one count of possession of instruments of a crime and one count of presenting false ID to law enforcement, according to court documents.

Fox News’ Mollie Markowitz contributed to this report.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham digs into UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione’s education and calls out radicalism in academia on “The Ingraham Angle.” 

LAURA INGRAHAM: We don’t know why Luigi Mangione allegedly felt justified in blowing away a healthcare CEO in a midtown Manhattan sidewalk, but we do know the poisonous teachings of radical revolutionaries echo throughout the lecture halls of our top schools. 

These revolutionaries view capitalists as oppressors who need to be crushed by any means necessary.  

BLACK HARRIS STAFFERS SAY THEY WERE MISTREATED ON THE CAMPAIGN, BLAME LEADERSHIP FOR TAKING BASE FOR GRANTED 

So, whenever the curtain is pulled back at these elite schools, what do we see? Well, we often see antisemitism, anti-capitalism and, yes, anti-Americanism go unchallenged and then passed off as enlightened discourse. Encouraging young people to hate their country — it’s a recipe for societal unrest, ignorance and even violence.  

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It’s not education — it’s indoctrination. I hope that President Trump finds a way to strip federal funding of any university that refuses to stop this madness. 

President-elect Donald Trump described Richard “Ric” Grenell, his former acting director of National Intelligence, as a “fabulous person” and “A STAR” in response to a news report about him potentially serving as a special envoy for Iran.

Reuters reported that Trump is considering appointing Grenell to the position, citing “two people familiar with the transition plans.” 

“He’s definitely in the running,” a person familiar with deliberations told the outlet under conditions of anonymity. Grenell, however, said the report is “made up.”

Trump shared the Reuters report on Truth Social Wednesday night. While he did not confirm or deny the information in the article, he wrote, “Richard Grenell is a fabulous person, A STAR. He will be someplace, high up!”

TRUMP ANNOUNCES MORE NOMINATIONS, INCLUDING KARI LAKE AS DIRECTOR OF VOICE OF AMERICA BROADCAST

Grenell shared a link to the Reuters article on his X account on Wednesday evening and denied the information presented.

“Wrong. Again,” he wrote. “I hope there’s an actual editor somewhere at @Reuters who is doing journalism. This is made up.”

Ric Grenell called the Reuters report on him being considered for special envoy for Iran “made up” shortly after the exclusive piece was published Wednesday evening. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Grenell was previously rumored to be a candidate for various spots in Trump’s second term, including Secretary of State before Sen. Marco Rubio was appointed and special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict before retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg was selected.

GET TO KNOW TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS BEEN PICKED SO FAR?

Whoever is chosen for the Iran position would be responsible for “developing, coordinating, and implementing the State Department’s Iran policy,” per the job description.

The person would report directly to Rubio – assuming the Senate approves his nomination.

Ric Grenell, former acting director of National Intelligence, campaigning for Trump in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during the 2024 election cycle. (Sarah Rice/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Grenell has been a loyal ally to Trump since his first presidential term and often appeared on the 2024 campaign trail to show his support for the now president-elect.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Reuters for comment.

Selena Gomez and music and American record producer Benny Blanco are engaged!

Gomez took to Instagram Wednesday night to share in her excitement, displaying a large engagement ring on her finger with the caption “forever begins now.”

She can also be seen in her Instagram Story on FaceTime with her left-hand shaking, saying “Yes to this!” 

SELENA GOMEZ ‘HAD TO GRIEVE’ INABILITY TO CARRY HER OWN CHILDREN DUE TO ‘MEDICAL ISSUES’

In the comments, Blanco can be seen saying, “Hey wait… that’s my wife.” 

The two have been romantically paired since December 2023, but were first linked when they worked together in 2019 on the song “I Can’t Get Enough.”

SELENA GOMEZ REVEALS HER ‘STANDARDS’ FOR ANYONE SHE DATES

Actress Selena Gomez, left, and actor Benny Blanco during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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Below the post fellow stars can be seen bombarding the comments with congratulatory messages from Cardi B to Lil Nas X.

The House voted to pass its yearly defense bill Wednesday, adding about another $1 trillion to the $36 trillion national debt.

The 1,800-page bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), details how $895.2 billion allocated toward defense and national security will be spent.

On Wednesday, the bill passed 281-140, with 16 Republicans voting no. Only 81 Democrats voted yes, while 124 voted no.

The legislation now heads to the Senate for passage before heading to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

124 DEMS OPPOSE HISTORICALLY BIPARTISAN DEFENSE BILL OVER RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSGENDER TREATMENTS FOR MINORS

The bill’s passage comes as the U.S. national debt continues to climb at a rapid pace and shows no signs of slowing down.

As of Dec. 11, the national debt, which measures what the U.S. owes its creditors, fell to $36,163,442,396,226.61, according to the latest numbers released by the U.S. Treasury Department. The debt represents a decrease of $8.8 billion from the figure released the previous day.

By comparison, 40 years ago, the national debt hovered at about $907 billion.

PENTAGON ANNOUNCES NEW COUNTER-DRONE STRATEGY AS UNMANNED ATTACKS ON US INTERESTS SKYROCKET

The United States Capitol building in Washington D.C., Dec. 2, 2024.  (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The latest findings from the Congressional Budget Office indicate the national debt will grow to an astonishing $54 trillion in the next decade, the result of an aging population and rising federal health care costs. Higher interest rates are also compounding the pain of higher debt.

Should that debt materialize, it could risk America’s economic standing in the world.

The spike in the national debt follows a burst of spending by President Biden and Democratic lawmakers.

As of September 2022, Biden had already approved roughly $4.8 trillion in borrowing, including $1.85 trillion for a COVID relief measure dubbed the American Rescue Plan and $370 billion for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), a group that advocates for reducing the deficit.

HERE IS WHO IS VYING FOR POWER IN SYRIA AFTER THE FALL OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD

President Biden visits with members of the 82nd Airborne Division at the G2A Arena March 25, 2022, in Jasionka, Poland. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

While that is about half of the $7.5 trillion that President-elect Trump added to the deficit while he was in office, it’s far more than the $2.5 trillion Trump approved at that same point during his first term. 

Biden has repeatedly defended the spending by his administration and boasted about cutting the deficit by $1.7 trillion. 

“I might note parenthetically: In my first two years, I reduced the debt by $1.7 trillion. No president has ever done that,” Biden said recently. 

That figure, though, refers to a reduction in the national deficit between fiscal years 2020 and 2022. The deficit certainly shrank during that period, though it was largely because emergency measures put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic had expired.

A transgender rights supporter takes part in a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court. (Getty Images)

Despite adding to the national debt, the NDAA was strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers were against the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization.

The bill also included a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the military.

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The defense act also includes measures to strengthen deterrence against China and calls for an investment of $15.6 billion to bolster military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration had only requested about $10 billion.

Fox News’ Eric Revell and Morgan Phillips, as well as The Associated Press, contributed to this report.

Fox News host Sean Hannity called out the Biden administration for failing to “get to the bottom” of numerous mysterious drone sightings as Americans across the northeast watch the skies.

PENTAGON DENIES LAWMAKER’S CLAIM THAT NEW JERSEY DRONES ARE FROM IRAN

SEAN HANNITY: Of course, anxiety is running high, and rightfully so. There are random objects the size of a bus that sound like a Harley hovering all over the state of New Jersey, people’s homes, even the president-elect’s golf club and other important installations. But let me be clear. This is not a story about aliens. This is not an extra terrestrial segment. Instead, this is a serious, alarming, potential national security threat that your government does not seem to care about at all or feel the need to explain in any way. And that fails to get to the bottom of this.

…

Let me be very clear. Maybe in the end this turns out to be nothing. I actually hope that’s true. But the fact that your government doesn’t know and hasn’t known now for weeks is chilling. The apparent message from Joe Biden and Kamala and Mayorkas, even our own military, close your eyes and pretend like it’s not happening. Well, that’s not going to secure our country.

…

The DOD says they are aware of the drones, and that’s pretty much it. That’s it. End of story. We also have few details or answers from anyone at the FBI, the DHS, the Biden-Harris White House or any other so-called public servant or national security official. Apparently, under Biden, they don’t really feel they need to answer you. They probably don’t even know, which makes it even worse under Biden. This is not a government by the people. For the people of the people. It’s a shady cabal of all powerful unelected bureaucrats that don’t really seem to give a damn if you are concerned or worried, and they’re the ones that should be on top of this. Americans, we’re entitled to answers. If you have something the size of a bus flying all over to the skies of our country, I think we need to know about that. 

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Two NBA legends have joined the NFL as owners. 

Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter are among a group of minority stakeholders joining the ownership group of the Buffalo Bills, the team announced Wednesday. 

Jozy Altidore, the former U.S. men’s national soccer team star, is also in the group of 10. 

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This is the first time in franchise history the Pegula family has brought in secondary shareholders for their team. The Pegulas remain the principal owners. 

According to the Bills, the private equity firm Arctos is also entering the fold as part of the new ownership group. Arctos has stakes in many leagues, including the NHL, NBA, MLB and MLS. 

NBA LEGEND VINCE CARTER TO GET 2 JERSEY RETIREMENT CEREMONIES DURING 2024-25 SEASON: REPORTS

It is unclear just how much each new shareholder paid for a piece of the team, which is valued at $4.2 billion, according to Forbes. 

For McGrady and Carter, ownership runs in the family now. They are cousins who played as teammates early in their illustrious NBA careers with the Toronto Raptors.

McGrady was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, and Carter entered in October.

Workers clear snow in Highmark Stadium in preparation for a game between the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers in Orchard Park, N.Y., Dec. 1, 2024.  (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

McGrady was a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection and a two-time scoring champion over his 15-year career. 

“T-Mac” spent his first three years in Toronto after being taken ninth overall in the 1997 NBA Draft. But his All-Star seasons — seven straight — came with the Orlando Magic over four seasons, followed by the Houston Rockets, where he was an All-Star three out of his six seasons with the team. 

McGrady also played for the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks before ending his career in 2012. 

Carter spent 22 seasons in the NBA, earning eight All-Star bids and two All-NBA nods. Most of his seasons came with the Raptors, who just retired his No. 15. He averaged 23.4 points per game over 403 games with the franchise.

Former Toronto Raptors player Vince Carter reacts during the ceremony to retire his number at halftime of a game against the Sacramento Kings.  (John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images)

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Carter moved on to the New Jersey Nets, followed by the Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Magic, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. Carter retired after the 2019-20 campaign. 

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