Tracy McGrady scored in a big way last week that had no connection at all to his 21-point game Thursday night against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Orlando Magic star sent an autographed jersey and a videotaped get-well message to a 13-year-old boy who was critically wounded outside a middle school he attends in Bowie, Md., by a sniper Monday morning. McGrady learned from team officials who had watched news accounts of the shooting that the victim is a huge fan of his.

"Out of all the stuff I've done and all the stuff that's happened to me in my career, none of it means as much to me as this little boy being healthy and I get a chance to meet him," McGrady said after practice Wednesday. "That means the world to me right now."

McGrady described himself as "stunned" when he heard of the boy's interest in him, adding, "Of all the great players in this league -- Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal -- and he chose me being down here in little ol' Orlando. It just goes to show you that we're special people and a lot of people idolize us."

After the Magic's 98-86 preseason victory over the Hawks, McGrady declared the subject off limits. A spokesman for the Magic said McGrady turned down other interview requests on a national scale, including one from CNN's Connie Chung.

Once the boy has recovered from his bullet wound to the chest, the Magic have said they intend to fly him and his family to Orlando to meet McGrady during the season.

NOT SO FAST

Olumide Oyedeji had been hailed before and during training camp as the likeliest solution to the Magic's rebounding and shot-blocking shortcomings in the frontcourt.

But coach Doc Rivers seemed to be refuting that notion one game into the preseason.

"He struggles with concepts," Rivers said even before Oyedeji picked up three fouls in a span of 2:10 upon entering Thursday night's win over the Hawks during the second quarter.

"I look at him like a colt. He's just finding his way," he added.

Both Oyedeji and Andrew DeClercq racked up fouls in a hurry after coming off the bench. But DeClercq recorded two steals, and both McGrady and Rivers singled him out for his effort.

Although Rivers used terms to describe Oyedeji not unlike the ones last year with Steven Hunter, who struggled as a rookie, he isn't forecasting a long season for him.

"Playing with Horace (Grant) and even Shawn (Kemp) every day in practice will help him a lot," he said.

First-round draft pick Ryan Humphrey is also starting slowly. Humphrey, who is playing more small forward than power forward in practice, didn't play against the Hawks until the start of the fourth quarter.

WAKE UP, JACQUE

The unintentional comedic highlight Thursday came when Jacque Vaughn barely hit the front of the rim on a layup attempt after getting a pass from McGrady off a 2-on-1 break.

"He probably thought I was going to finish it," said McGrady, who laughed about the play along with Vaughn during a timeout shortly thereafter. "I told him, You've got to wake up. It's coming back at you.' "

Vaughn missed all four of his field-goal attempts in 18 minutes, although he had three assists with only one turnover.

"He's trying so hard to get everybody else shots," Rivers said. "He's forgetting that he can actually score a little bit himself. I'm not worried about that at all. He'll be fine."

ROLE REVERSAL

Grant Hill couldn't help noticing it being odd that he was in uniform while Grant wasn't.

"It was a role reversal with Horace," he said. "I'm dressing out, and he's dressed in a suit."

The 37-year-old Grant might continue to break out his wardrobe for the next week on game nights. And when his left knee is healthy enough for him to return, his starting job from a year ago could go elsewhere.

"If you deem at his age that 20 minutes is better than 35 minutes, then you might be better served by bringing him off the bench," Rivers said.