Robert DeShaun "Tractor" Traylor (born February 1, 1977 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player.

Traylor was a McDonald's All-American the same year as Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter and Paul Pierce. He attended the University of Michigan. Standing 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) and weighing in excess of 300 pounds, he joined a formidable front court for the Wolverines that included Maurice Taylor and Maceo Baston. That year he broke a backboard while dunking in a game against Ball State. Traylor helped lead the Wolverines to the 1997 National Invitation Tournament title, and was named the tournament's most valuable player. His junior year was his best, as he averaged 16.2 points and 10 rebounds while leading his team to the inaugural Big Ten Tournament championship and second round of the NCAA Tournament as a three seed.

Traylor was one of the former Michigan players whose ties to booster Ed Martin roiled the program. During his freshman year, Traylor broke his arm in a car accident while out with teammates and recruiting prospect Mateen Cleaves (who ended up going to rival Michigan State). That accident triggered a six-year investigation into the Wolverine program. Martin, who died in 2003 at 69, pleaded guilty in 2002 to conspiracy to launder money and told federal prosecutors he took gambling money, combined it with other funds and lent $616,000 to Traylor, Chris Webber and two other Wolverine players dating to when they were still in high school.^[1] Traylor received three years' probation.^[2]

Due to NCAA violations connected to the case (principally the compromising of the amateur status of Traylor, Webber and Taylor), Michigan withdrew from consideration for the 2003 NCAA tournament, lost scholarships and was placed on probation. The school also vacated the records of every game in which Traylor played from its record book. Traylor also had to surrender his MVP award for the 1997 NIT, as well as his MVP award from the 1998 Big Ten tournament. Murray-Wright High School in Detroit, where Traylor played high school basketball, voluntarily forfeited its entire 1994-95 season (Traylor's senior season).

In the 1998 NBA Draft, Traylor was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks(with the 6th pick), but traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Pat Garrity and German prospect Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki would become the first European NBA MVP ever, a multiple All-Star and a cornerstone for the Dallas Mavericks.

In the 2005 offseason, Traylor had surgery on his aorta.^[3] He then signed on with the New Jersey Nets for the 2005-06 NBA season, but, due to his failing a physical examination, the deal was scrapped.^[2][4] It is well known that Traylor has battled obesity for years.

Traylor has played in Puerto Rico^[2] and in Turkey for Antalya Kepez Belediyesi. He is currently with the Lega Basket Serie A club NSB Napoli.^[5]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• NBA.com Profile
• NBA Draft Busts #16
• Robert Traylor @ Basketball-Reference.com