Did you catch him? If you blinked during Marty Supreme, you might have missed Tracy McGrady slipping into the frame. The Christmas Day release wastes no time throwing viewers into a kinetic 1950s New York, then flings them across London, Brussels, Egypt, and Tokyo, per Slate. Timothée Chalamet plays Marty Mauser with confident swagger, chasing table tennis fame while everyone around him begs him to quit. The movie leans into that tension and dares audiences to keep up.

Casting does much of the storytelling. From Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom to cameos that flash by like postcards, the film delights in surprise appearances. That philosophy tracks with director Josh Safdie, who often blurs the line between actors and real life figures. The result feels crowded on purpose, like a city street where every passerby carries a story.

Why Tracy McGrady Fits the Moment

McGrady appears alongside Kemba Walker as part of the Harlem Globetrotters during a quick tour sequence, per Vulture. The scene barely lingers, yet it lands. Marty initially scoffs at playing ping pong at halftime, then humbles himself after a loss in London. That shift matters. The cameo works because it echoes the movie’s fascination with athletes who live outside tidy highlight reels.

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Safdie’s choice feels intentional. After Kevin Garnett’s turn in Uncut Gems, basketball clearly holds weight in this creative universe. McGrady and Walker register as familiar faces without stealing focus. Their presence adds texture, not spectacle. It also reinforces the film’s affection for people who hover near greatness rather than headline history books.

The funniest beat has nothing to do with basketball at all. Marty chips a piece off a pyramid in Egypt to mail home to his mother, a reckless, oddly tender gesture that sums up the movie’s energy. Fast, messy, and strangely heartfelt, Marty Supreme rewards attention. If you spotted McGrady, you already know.