After a high-flying profession that traversed 22 seasons, “Air Canada” formally lands on the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame on Sunday.
Vince Carter’s enshrinement caps a profession outlined by big-time slam dunks and spectacular longevity. Carter performed for eight groups, most notably with the Toronto Raptors in the course of the first 5½ seasons of his profession adopted by 4½ seasons with the then-New Jersey Nets.
An eight-time All-Star, he’s the one participant whose profession spanned 4 completely different a long time, and his 1,541 video games are third most in NBA historical past behind fellow Corridor of Famers Robert Parish and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Carter joined the Raptors on draft night time in 1998 (initially chosen by the Golden State Warriors) and made an immediate affect, successful 1998-99 Rookie of the Yr. The “Vinsanity” period actually took off in 2000 when he gained the NBA All-Star Recreation slam dunk contest, adopted by his gravity-defying dunk over 7-foot-2 heart Frédéric Weis on the Summer time Olympics in Sydney.
Sunday’s Corridor of Fame ceremony would be the first of a number of this season honoring Carter, who retired in 2020. On Nov. 2, the Raptors will retire his No. 15 jersey, making him the franchise’s first participant to obtain that honor. The Brooklyn Nets may even retire No. 15 on Jan. 25 for Carter’s seasons in New Jersey.
Carter not solely left an impression on his teammates and opponents, however on those that coated his sport. Forward of the weekend’s ceremonies, ESPN reporters share their favourite moments and recollections from Carter’s profession.
Household ties: How two Corridor of Famers discovered they had been associated
I have been lucky to be teammates with each Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. Nicely, “teammates” in that we have been on the identical TV set doing “NBA In the present day” collectively. Each time Vince or Tracy had been on, we would confer with them as cousins. As a result of they’re associated, and it is pleasant that each shall be within the NBA Corridor of Fame now.
What you won’t know is that they discovered they had been cousins solely when McGrady was a senior in highschool and Carter at North Carolina. In response to McGrady, they grew up enjoying for a similar AAU crew and traveled in lots of the identical circles. But it surely wasn’t till McGrady visited Chapel Hill to play in a pickup sport that the familial connection was made.
Former NBA stars Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups headline the 13-member class, which additionally contains Lakers legends Michael Cooper and Jerry West — who’s the primary particular person to be inducted into the Corridor of Fame as each a participant and a contributor.
• Minnesota was turning level for Billups• Vince Carter’s Corridor of Fame moments• Cooper earns nod as defensive legend• Jerry West’s 20-year feud with Lakers
“Nobody was letting me use their locker,” McGrady recalled. “So Vince was like, ‘Yo man, you need to use my locker. Simply due to our instances on Workforce Florida collectively, I assume.”
A number of days later, McGrady attended a household reunion in Florida.
“I am having a dialog with my grandmother with a desk full of individuals,” he mentioned. “And we began speaking about basketball, clearly. This woman goes, my grandson is enjoying school ball in North Carolina.
“I used to be like, ‘ The place is he at?’ She was like, ‘Chapel Hill. He is a Tar Heel.’ … She known as him Vincent. I mentioned, ‘Maintain on, Vincent?’
“She mentioned, ‘Vincent Carter.’ I mentioned, ‘Vince?’ She’s like, ‘Yeah, that is my grandson.
“I checked out my grandmother, and I mentioned, ‘Are you two associated?’ She was like, ‘Sure.'”
McGrady instantly known as his newly found cousin.
“He was like, ‘Bro, I do know you f—ing mendacity.’ He did not consider it. … You simply left me. What are you speaking about?
“I say, ‘Bro, I am sitting right here along with your grandmother proper now on the household reunion.”
McGrady went straight from highschool to the NBA, being drafted ninth within the 1997 draft by the Raptors. The next season, Carter declared for the draft after three years at UNC. McGrady talked about his older cousin to then-Raptors coach Butch Carter.
“I instructed him, ‘We acquired to draft him, man. We acquired to draft. I imply, I used to be 18 years outdated, abroad, and if y’all making an attempt to make me the way forward for this franchise, I would like some enter and I need any individual to go together with me that I really feel snug with. Plus, he is essentially the most proficient cat on this draft. Put us collectively.”
The Raptors obliged, and NBA historical past was born. “It was simply such a pleasure,” McGrady mentioned. “Unbelievable. To have him as a teammate and discovering out we was cousins on the identical time. Then to observe somebody turn out to be a star proper earlier than your eyes and take the league by storm at such a younger age.
“He got here in his rookie 12 months and he was doing a little s— that we by no means seen earlier than. And what I inform you, I used to be like the most important Vince Carter fan.” — Ramona Shelburne
‘It is over’ in Oakland: Carter’s iconic slam dunk
There are plenty of Vince Carter recollections to select from, however the one that may all the time stand out to me was the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk competitors in Oakland, California. That was my first season protecting the NBA, and it was cool to see my first All-Star Weekend again at dwelling.
There was oddly plenty of rain that weekend, however the scene inside for the dunk contest on the Enviornment at Oakland was a vibe. Shaquille O’Neal famously recorded the occasion from a handheld camcorder whereas the likes of Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Dikembe Mutombo sat courtside. The sector was a strong one with Ricky Davis, Steve Francis, Larry Hughes, Tracy McGrady and Jerry Stackhouse among the many competitors.
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The actual story behind Vince Carter’s epic 2000 dunk contest
Vince Carter revisits his mesmerizing efficiency within the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
As somebody who had liked watching the dunk contest since childhood, I used to be wanting ahead to this occasion greater than the precise All-Star Recreation. Carter opened with a stupendous and punishing reverse 360 slam, and there was an eruption from the group that shifted the highlight to him and solely him for the remainder of the night time.
Kenny Smith was yelling, ‘Let’s go dwelling,’ again and again on TV. Followers had been holding up “10” indicators and NBA stars’ mouths had been extensive open with amazement. With the group within the palm of his fingers, Carter’s momentum continued as he put the ball via his legs for his third dunk and turned to the digicam and mentioned, “It is over.”
It was, certainly, over. Carter turned in one of the crucial dominating and memorable performances in dunk contest historical past. After the mud settled, I went to a celebration in San Francisco with performances by artists resembling Snoop Dogg and Future’s Baby the place Carter’s title was the buzzing matter of dialog over the music. — Marc J. Spears
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Vince Carter discusses feelings and appreciation for HOF choice
Vince Carter offers an emotional response to being chosen to the Basketball Corridor of Fame Class of 2024, reflecting on the importance of the distinction.
How Carter’s arrival to the Nets modified the franchise
The affect that Vince had on the New Jersey Nets is immeasurable and never talked about sufficient. After two straight NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, after which a second-round loss to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons in 2004 (I nonetheless blame Chauncey Billups for the half-court shot that pressured additional time in Recreation 5), possession determined that offseason to interrupt up the crew.
Earlier than the 2004-05 season, Kenyon Martin was dealt to the Denver Nuggets by way of sign-and-trade for 3 first-round picks. Kerry Kittles was despatched to the LA Clippers for a second-round choose. Sixth-man Lucious Harris was waived. Jason Kidd had microfracture surgical procedure on his left knee that saved him out for the start of the season. The turnover of the roster resulted in New Jersey stumbling out of the gates with simply two wins in its first 13 video games. The group was listless and with no route.
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However on Dec. 17, 2004, that each one modified when crew president of basketball operations Rod Thorn pulled off one of many largest trades in franchise historical past. I used to be a part of the Nets’ entrance workplace throughout that point. It was a chilly Friday, and I nonetheless keep in mind strolling into Rod’s workplace. He handed me a bit of paper and requested me to run the numbers on the commerce. The primary title that appeared was Vince Carter. I used to be shocked and in disbelief.
The following day Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two of the 2 first-round picks that had been acquired from Denver within the Martin commerce had been despatched to Toronto for Carter. It acquired the crew again on observe. Carter averaged 27.5 factors that season and shaped a formidable backcourt partnership with Kidd as soon as he returned.
A late-season push noticed New Jersey squeak into the 2005 playoffs on the final day of the common season. Carter and the Nets fared higher in 2006, reaching the second spherical of the playoffs earlier than dropping to the eventual champion Miami Warmth. In 2007, it was one other second-round exit — this time by the hands of LeBron James on his approach to his first NBA Finals look with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Nets by no means reached the Finals with Carter, however the group modified for the higher after he arrived. — Bobby Marks
One of the best in-person NBA dunk? Carter places ‘Zo on a poster
When Vince Carter arrived to the Nets in 2004, I instantly knew I’d be seeing dunks like I’ve by no means seen earlier than. Having coated the Nets period that included back-to-back NBA Finals appearances from 2001 to 2003, I noticed my justifiable share of jaw-dropping, no-look alley-oops from Jason Kidd to Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson.
However the biggest dunk I’ve ever witnessed reside was in Miami courtesy of Carter.
The play began with Jefferson driving and lacking a shot over Alonzo Mourning, who, in 2005, was one of the crucial intimidating shot blockers within the sport. Mourning could not safe the rebound, and the ball bounced off his fingers towards Carter on the appropriate wing. With Jason Williams chasing after the ball, Carter snatched the unfastened ball along with his proper hand and, extremely, dribbled behind his again earlier than transferring and catching the ball along with his proper hand to elude Williams.
Watch the replay! The transfer itself was a spotlight. You do not discover it due to what comes subsequent.
I used to be sitting baseline behind the basket, and Vince was heading straight towards me. He had a transparent path to the paint, and it regarded just like the seas had parted. Mourning was the one one standing in the way in which of the rim. Mourning was the one one standing in the way in which. It did not matter. Carter took off. It appeared like he saved rising and along with his proper arm cocked again, threw down essentially the most ridiculous poster dunk proper on high of Mourning.
Warmth legend Dwyane Wade later mentioned, “That is high 10 … in the entire historical past of the NBA.”
Even sweeter was the truth that Mourning, who performed for the Nets within the earlier season however needed out of New Jersey, had been traded for Carter. — Ohm Youngmisuk
Carter’s late-game heroics hang-out his former crew in Toronto
Toronto has lengthy been one of many coldest stops within the NBA for visiting groups, however few skilled as chilly of a reception as Carter after being traded to New Jersey in 2004.
After being named Rookie of the Yr after which incomes 5 straight All-Star bids with the franchise, Carter’s star stalled in Canada as he led the Raptors to only one playoff sequence win in six years.
Following the commerce, the high-flying ahead turned a logo of untapped potential for the fan base, and Torontonians ruthlessly let him hear it every time he returned as an opponent.
By the point Jan. 8, 2006, got here round, Carter had already gone 2-0 in his first journeys north of the border when he returned a 3rd time to place collectively a masterful efficiency.
“He was superb the entire sport. Lobs, pin-downs, 3s,” former Raptors guard Jose Calderon instructed ESPN, wanting again on the sport. “He made shot after shot. It did not matter what sort of protection.”
Calderon, only a rookie on the time, went to the free throw line with Toronto up by one with 7.2 seconds left. He made the primary and missed the second.
Then Carter took over.
“He pulled up for a deep 3 to win the sport,” Calderon mentioned in regards to the Nets’ 105-104 win. “What a return.”
That shot capped Carter’s 42-point efficiency, with 24 coming within the fourth quarter.
As superb as that was for Carter, it was solely half as spectacular as his win in Toronto two years later.
On Nov. 21, 2008 — in opposition to a Raptors crew that had revamped by constructing round Chris Bosh and 2006 No. 1 choose Andrea Bargnani — Carter got here up clutch twice. Trailing by three with 3.2 seconds left within the fourth quarter, Carter acquired an inbounds cross from past the arc, squared up and nailed a triple to tie the rating and pressure additional time.
Then, within the additional session, he flashed his signature hops to win it for the Nets by throwing down a two-handed, reverse dunk off an alley-oop cross inbounded from close to half courtroom to present New Jersey the go-ahead rating. — Dave McMenamin
Carter turns again the clock in Mavs playoff thriller
Carter’s thoughts flashed again to one of many hardest moments of his profession because the huddle broke and he walked onto the courtroom at American Airways Heart in Dallas.
There have been 1.7 seconds remaining in Recreation 3 of the Dallas Mavericks’ 2014 first-round sequence in opposition to the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs. Dallas trailed by two factors. Carter wasn’t the first choice on the play, however then-Mavs coach Rick Carlisle instructed him in the course of the timeout that he’d doubtless get the successful look.
“Hey, let’s make this one,” Carter mentioned after the sport, remembering his earlier alternative to win a playoff sport with a buzzer-beater.
Carter was referring to Might 20, 2001 — a date he may always remember. It was Recreation 7 within the Japanese Convention semifinals in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers. Carter, then a younger celebrity on the peak of “Vinsanity,” got here off a display, caught the inbounds cross on the left wing, pump-faked to get the defender to fly by … and missed the jumper off the again iron.
It ended up being Carter’s remaining playoff look in a Raptors uniform. 4 groups and 13 years later, an eerily comparable alternative ended up in fingers of Carter, who has transitioned right into a gray-bearded sixth man.
He popped out to the left nook, turned towards the basket along with his heels raised safely above the sideline, pump-faked to get Manu Ginobili to fly by and launched a jumper. This one swished via the web because the pink lights framed the backboard, giving the underdog Mavs the lead in a sequence they stretched to seven video games, the Spurs’ hardest battle in that season’s title run.
“I can take that shot with confidence, and I can reside with it,” Carter mentioned minutes after the buzzer sounded and Dirk Nowitzki and the remainder of the Mavs’ roster mobbed him.
“Generally you miss an enormous shot — 2001 — and also you maintain on to it for some time till you get the chance once more. I am simply glad it labored out this time years later.” — Tim MacMahon
