Vince Carter

At 47 years old, Vince Carter has this physical status:

Vincent Lamar Carter (born January 26, 1977) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He is 6 foot 6 inches (1.98 m) tall and plays both shooting guard and small forward, but he also played power forward during his time in the later portion of his career.

Carter is the first NBA player to play 22 seasons, and at 42 years old, he is the most active NBA player and is widely regarded as the best dunker of all time.

While he was there, he twice made it to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament before being drafted as the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, who traded him to the Toronto Raptors. Carter came to Toronto as a celebrity.

At the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend, he received the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and the Slam Dunk Contest.

He represented the United States in the Summer Olympics this summer, winning a gold medal.

He entertained audiences with his leaping ability and slam dunks, earning nicknames such as "Vinsanity," "Air Canada" and "Half-Man, Half-Amazing."

Carter was sent to the New Jersey Nets in December 2004, where he continued to put up good numbers.

Carter has played for the Orlando Magic, the Phoenix Suns, the Dallas Mavericks, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Sacramento Kings, and the Atlanta Hawks.

In 2016, he was named Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year.

Carter is an eight-time NBA All-Star. Carter created the Embassy of Hope Foundation in Florida, New Jersey, and Ontario, helping children and their families.

He was also named Child Advocate of the Year by the Children's Home Society in 2000, and he received the Florida Governor's Points of Light award in 2007 for his philanthropy in his home state.

Early life

Carter was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, and his parents divorced when he was seven years old. At least twice his mother remarried.

Carter attended Mainland High School in Daytona Beach. He played football until a broken wrist in his freshman year forced him to switch to volleyball. He was named Volusia County Player of the Year as a freshman and averaged 24 kills per match; by comparison, none of his teammates had more than 100. He was also given a saxophone scholarship to attend Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach.

He coached Mainland's basketball team to its first Class 6A state championship in 56 years, and he was a 1995 McDonald's All-American. He was named one of the 35 top McDonald's All-Americans on January 31, 2012. In his senior year, he averaged 22 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.5 blocks per game. He has 299 points, 1,042 rebounds, 356 assists, and 178 steals in his career on Mainland. He was contacted by 77 NCAA Division I schools but ultimately chose North Carolina over Florida.

Personal life

Carter married Ellen Rucker, a chiropractor, in July 2004; the couple divorced in 2006. They have one daughter together. Carter is now married to Sondi Carter, a NASM coach. They have a son and a daughter.

Since being drafted into the NBA in 1998, Carter has donated to his high school, Mainland High School, and he established The Embassy of Hope. A statue of Carter was unveiled in Mainland China on February 3, 2007.

Since five of the team's players were shot in September 2006, Carter traveled with the Duquesne University men's basketball team in Pittsburgh as a gesture of support.

Carter is also the cousin of Tracy McGrady, a basketball player. They were teammates with the Raptors from 1998 to 2000. Until a family reunion in 1997, both players were unaware of the connection.

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Professional career

Carter was first drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. Antawn Jamison, Carter's college teammate and acquaintance, was then traded to the Toronto Raptors for his fourth overall pick, and he was later traded to the Toronto Raptors for his fourth overall pick, Antawn Jamison, Carter's fourth overall pick. In their first three years as a franchise, the Raptors had problems. Carter was instrumental in the Raptors' first-ever playoff appearance in 2000 before leading them to their first-ever playoff series victory in 2001, moving them to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Carter's rookie season did not begin until 1999 due to the NBA lockout. With a soaring offensive game that earned him the nickname "Air Canada," Carter soon became a fan favorite. After scoring 18.3 points and throwing down countless highlight-reel dunks, he earned the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Carter soared to full-fledged stardom in his second season — his highest point total in the league — and Toronto welcomed the Toronto Blues to its first playoff appearance in franchise history. He made his first NBA All-Star selection and was named to the All-NBA Third Team shortly after. Carter displayed perhaps the most memorable Slam Dunk Contest event in the country's history during the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend. He won the competition by a 360° windmill, a between the legs bounce dunk, and a "elbow in the rim" dunk (also known as a "cookie jar" dunk or "honey dip). Between 1998 and 2000, Carter and his distant cousin Tracy McGrady put on a formidable one-two punch as teammates in Toronto. McGrady left the Orlando Magic as a free agent in August 2000, leaving Carter as the Raptors' franchise star.

Carter played for a career-high 27.6 points per game in 2000-2001, his third season, and was selected as a starter for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game. The Raptors won by a then-record 47 games in the regular season. In the playoffs, the Raptors defeated the New York Knicks 3–2 in the first round and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals to face the Philadelphia 76ers. Allen Iverson, a retired Carter and 76ers star, all triumphed in a seven-game series that saw back and forth. Carter scored 50 points in Game 3 and set a new NBA playoff record for the most three-point field goals made in a single game. With 2.0 seconds remaining, Carter missed a potential game-winning shot in Game 7. "It was amazing," Iverson said of the film in July 2011: "It was amazing." (Carter) had fun games at home and played some great games at home, but we were still struggling to get our teams back to our teams and win basketball games. It's awesome to have those memories and being a part of something similar."

Carter signed a six-year contract extension worth as much as $94 million in August 2001. Carter missed the final 22 games of the 2001–02 regular season due to injuries. He has played in 60 games and averaged 24.7 points per game. Carter was averaging 41 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals against the Denver Nuggets on December 7, 2001. Charles Barkley (1988) was the second player to finish a game with 40 points, 15 rebounds, five steals, and five assists, dating back to the 1973–74 season, when the league began tracking steals. He was accepted into the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, but he was unable to participate due to a back injury. In the first round, the Raptors were defeated in five games by the Detroit Pistons without Carter during the playoffs.

Carter played 43 games during the 2002–03 season, despite off-season surgery. Carter gave up his starting position in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game to Michael Jordan in order to allow Jordan to get his last act as an All-Star. Carter appeared in 73 games between 2003-2004, but the Raptors fell three games shy of making the playoffs.

Glen Grunwald, the general manager, and the entire coaching staff were fired during the 2004 off-season. Following trade rumors all season long, Rob Babcock, the New Jersey Nets' new general manager, traded Carter to the New Jersey Nets on December 17, 2004 for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams, and two other first round draft picks.

Carter was heavily booed and mocked by Raptors fans in his first game back in Toronto on April 15, 2005. In a 101–90 New Jersey victory, Carter would finish with 39 points. Carter continued to get similar treatment for years to come in a town that once welcomed him. Despite this, he thrived in Toronto as a Net on several occasions. Carter scored a long three pointer at the other end, ending in a 105-104 victory and shocking the Toronto audience on January 8, 2006. "I'm definitely number one," Carter, who finished with 42 points, referred to it as one of his best shots ever. It was a fun game, due to the atmosphere, the emotion, and the hostility in the arena." Carter's late game heroics sent the game to overtime, where he would face another game winner in an inbounds alley-oop dunk with 1.5 seconds remaining on November 21, 2008. Carter claimed that despite continued booing, he had no grudges to the fans. "I know, it's just sports, that's the way it goes." I root for my team and I'm a terrible fan."

In an interview with Michael Landsberg in November 2011, Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Charles Oakley addressed the Toronto audience. "They watched myself and Tracy grow up," Carter said as I was booed in Toronto. And when we left, they still have to see (us) flourish and develop (who we are). I like it as a young boy growing up to a mature man and moving forward. I get it. A lot of people are affected by the fact that they were left homeless. It frightened me because I tell you what... I did a lot, learned a lot, and I became the person and athlete of who I am today because of the coaching, players, and everything else. I get it, but I love the city as well. I have friends and my heart is still there because that's where it all started." "I love the fans and whether you cheer for me, boo me, or hate me," Carter said later in the interview. One of the best kept secrets in Toronto is its ability to produce some of the best products on the floor and one of the top places to play."

Carter reiterated his love for the city and his admiration for the Toronto Raptors team in a TSN Radio 1050 interview on November 6, 2012. On Sportsnet 590, Rob Mitchell and Sam Mitchell announced on Sportsnet 590, The Fan, that the night before Carter was traded to New Jersey, Carter phoned Mitchell to say he wanted to stay in Toronto. However, Babcock said that it was too late and that the trade had already been officially agreed on. Mitchell should have reached MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum personally, but was reluctant because he did not want to break the chain of command.

In April 2014, Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri referred to Carter as "one of the Toronto Raptors' symbols." Carter continues to be one of the Raptors' greatest scorers in franchise history, averaging 23.4 points per game during his six-plus-year tenure in Toronto.

The Raptors commemorated Carter with a video montage during the first quarter of the Raptors–Grizzlies game on November 19, 2014, almost a decade after the trade's 20th anniversary celebrations. Questions regarding how Raptors fans would be honored during the game were raised leading up to the game. What started off as the sellout audience watched highlights from Carter's days as the high-flying Raptors' triumph turned into a largely positive standing ovation. As he pointed to his heart and waved to the supporters in gratitude, an emotional Carter used his warm-up shirt to wipe tears running down his face. "It was a great feeling, but I couldn't write it any better," he later said.

Carter was acquired by the New Jersey Nets on December 17, 2004, and spent five seasons with them before retiring in June 2009. Carter had some of his best numbers with the Nets, leading to averaging of 23.6 points per game during his time in New Jersey. In his four seasons, he played just 11 games and was instrumental in the Nets' three straight playoff runs between 2005 and 2007.

Carter, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson as the leading players, joined a Nets team. However, the trio never got to play together at full throttle during the 2004-2005 season. Carter and Kidd were among the roster's weakest players on a 15-1-4 run to miss the playoffs.

The Carter-Kidd pair led the Nets to 49 victories, an Atlantic Division title, and the No. 2 in 2005–06. In the playoffs, he is the third seed. Carter led the Nets to the second round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual NBA champions Miami Heat in five games. In 11 playoff games, Carter averaged 29.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. In 2006, Carter was named an Eastern Conference All-Star. Carter sank the Miami Heat on November 7, 2005, after losing defensive stalwart Alonzo Mourning. Carter had a career high in free throws against Miami on December 23, 2005, a record for the most free throws made in a quarter (4th quarter). In the same game, he tied his career-high of 51 points.

Carter was named as a reserve to the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, marking his eighth appearance in the All-Star Game. Carter and Kidd became the first teammates in over 18 years to reach triple-doubles in the same game since the Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen won this feat against the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989. Carter had 46 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, and 10 assists, with a career-high 16 rebounds. Kidd finished with ten points, tied for the highest with 16 rebounds, and tied for a season high with 18 assists, tied for the first time. Carter played all 82 games during the 2006–07 season, averaging over 25 points with a 21 PERFORMANCE.

Carter re-signed with the Nets in July 2007, earning him a four-year, $61.8 million deal.

Kidd was traded to the Dallas Mavericks during the 2007-08 season. Following the All-Star break, Carter was credited with becoming a leader. He played for the Nets from the start of the season in 2008–09, and he and teammate Devin Harris were the highest-scoring starting backcourt in the league. As the Nets battled back from an 18-point deficit to defeat the Toronto Raptors 129-127 in overtime at the Air Canada Centre on November 21, 2008, Carter scored a season-high 39 points, including a game winning two-handed reverse dunk. He scored the winning basket in overtime after hitting a 29-foot, game tying three-pointer to push the game to overtime, and then scored the winning basket in the extra period. Carter scored 15 points, 12 assists, and ten rebounds in a 99-85 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on February 3, 2009.

Carter, as well as Ryan Anderson, was traded to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee on June 25, 2009. Orlando hoped Carter would provide center Dwight Howard with a perimeter scorer who can make his own shot, something the Magic did not have when they were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 NBA Finals. When the Magic came from a 17-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Hornets 123-117, Carter had a season-high 48 points, 34 in the second half. Carter helped the Magicians advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated 4–2 by the Boston Celtics. This was the first time Carter had competed in a conference finals series.

Carter was acquired by the Phoenix Suns in a six-player trade with the Magic on December 18, 2010. In a 129-121 victory over the New York Knicks, Carter scored 29 points and 12 rebounds on January 17, 2011. During the game, he scored 20,000 points, making him the 37th NBA player to reach that milestone.

Carter was waived by the Suns on December 9, 2011, meaning the team only had to pay him $4 million of the $18 million he was due for the 2011-2012 season. Carter played in 51 games with 41 starts, averaging 13.5 points in 42 percent, with 42 percent shooting 42 percent.

Carter signed a three-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks, the defending NBA champions. Carter and former Nets teammate Jason Kidd were reunited in this move. Carter made one in the closing minutes against the Golden State Warriors on April 20, 2012, becoming the eighth player in NBA history with 1,500 3-pointers.

Carter was best known for his 3-point shooting with the Mavericks early in his career for his circus dunks. Carter scored 26 points over the Sacramento Kings in a 123-100 win over them on February 13, 2013, putting him 26th on the NBA's career scoring list, moving him to 29th place. Carter put an end to a Sacramento rally in the third quarter by going 5 of 7 from long range and scoring 17 of Dallas' last 21 points in the period. He ended the night with 21,796 career points for 29th on the all-time list, five ahead of Bird. He also became the 11th NBA player with at least 1,600 3-pointers. With 22,223 career points, he ranked 27th on the NBA's all-time scoring list for the second season. His 162 3-pointers tied him for the highest three points he had in a season (162-of-397,.408) with Toronto in 2000–01. He went from 17th place to 11th on the NBA's all-time 3-point field goals made list over the course of the year, including Nick Van Exel, Tim Hardaway, Eddie Jones, Glen Rice, Jason Richardson, and Kobe Bryant) and finished the year with 1,663 career 3-pointers.

Carter portrayed himself as the Mavericks' sixth man prior to the 2013–14 season. During the first 22 games of the season, he averaged 10.5 points and shot 37.6% from the field, owing to increased responsibilities and pressure to be the team's lone scoring punch off of the bench. During an 18-game stretch, he saw his numbers increase in December, averaging 12.5 points and shooting 43.3 percent from the field. Carter retired his career against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 16, 2014, making him the 27th NBA player to reach the 23,000-point mark with a 3-pointer in the third quarter. Carter nailed the game-winning 3-pointer on time in Game 3 of the Mavericks' first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, giving the eighth-seeded Mavericks a 109-108 victory and a 2–1 series advantage over the top-seeded Spurs. In seven games, the Mavericks lost the series.

Carter signed a multi-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies on July 12, 2014. He won the game 111–110 over the Sacramento Kings on November 13, 2014 after making a game winning alley-oop contribution from the sideline to teammate Courtney Lee at the buzzer. Carter scored a season-high 18 points in a 117-116 triple overtime victory over the San Antonio Spurs on December 17, 2014. Carter ranked 25th in all-time NBA scoring during the game, defeating Robert Parish (23,334).

Carter appeared in just one of the Grizzlies' first 12 games of the 2015–16 season. Carter defeated Charles Barkley (23,757) for his 24th career points scored on February 24, 2016, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers by nine points. In an 112–95 win over the Lakers, he scored a season-high 19 points in a season-high win. Carter was inserted in the starting lineup for the latter half of April and the complete first round playoff series against the Spurs. Carter scored a team-high 16 points in Game 1 against the Spurs, defeating the Spurs 106-74. In four games, the Grizzlies lost the series. Carter was named with the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award for the 2015–16 season after placing second behind Tim Duncan in second place in the 2014–15 season. The award recognizes the player who was named the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, as well as dedication and dedication to the team.

Carter appeared in his 1,278th NBA game on November 1, 2016, tying him with A. C. Green for 25th on the NBA's career list. He was also the 24th NBA player to reach over 24,000 career points. Michael Jordan scored 20 points against the Denver Nuggets on November 8, the youngest player in the NBA to score 20 points against the Washington Wizards in April 2003. He was 40 years old at the time. It was also Carter's first 20-point game since April 30, 2014. Carter defeated the Milwaukee Bucks on November 12, beating Gary Payton (8,708) for his 21st appearance in NBA history. Carter also ranked 24th on the NBA's career games played list with 1,283. Carter played his second 20-point game of the season on November 14, defeating the Utah Jazz and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to post 20 points and 5+ rebounds off the bench at the age of 39. Carter was the oldest at 39 years and 287 days. Carter was forced to miss seven games in early December due to a right hip flexor strain. Carter earned his 1,989th career three-pointer on January 11, leaping ahead of Jason Kidd and placing fifth on the all-time list. Carter scored his 2,000th three-pointer in a game against the Denver Nuggets on February 1, making him the fifth player to reach that milestone. Carter scored at least four blocks in a game against San Antonio on February 6, beating Karl Malone, Dikembe Mutombo, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Robert Parish as the only 40-year-old players to reach at least four blocks. Carter won Allen Iverson for 23rd on the NBA all-time scoring list on February 15, beating the New Orleans Pelicans for 23rd. Carter made his first appearance of the season on March 13 and hit all eight of his shots, including six from outside the arc, to lead the Grizzlies past the Milwaukee Bucks 113-93. He became the first 40-year-old in NBA history to reach six triples in a single game. Carter made history by becoming the first NBA player to play since Juwan Howard in April 2013. Carter defeated Ray Allen for 22nd on the NBA all-time scoring list on March 29 against the Indiana Pacers. Carter appeared in his 1,347th game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 12 in his regular-season finale, beating Kobe Bryant for 13th in regular-season games played. During Game 4 of the Grizzlies' first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs on April 22, Carter became the first 40-year-old to make three or more 3-pointers in a playoff match.

Carter agreed to a one-year, $8 million deal with the Sacramento Kings on July 10, 2017. Carter was selected by the NBA Players Association as the Most Influential Veteran on August 18, 2017. Carter played in seven games early in the season due to a kidney disease. Carter scored a season-high 24 points in a 109-95 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 27, 2017. It was the first time a 40-plus-year-old reserve scored at least 20 points in a game in NBA history. He shot 10-of-12 off the bench in 30 minutes, scoring his second highest percentage of his career. The San Antonio Spurs, Carter, and Manu Ginóbili all scored 21, 19 and 15 points respectively on January 28, 2018. It was the first game in NBA history where two players over the age of 40 scored at least 15 points. Carter scored seven points on March 19, 2018, moving him from Patrick Ewing to 22nd place on the NBA's career scoring list. As part of the Players' Voice Awards, he was named the winner of the NBPA's Backbone Award and Most Respected Award at the end of the season.

Carter signed with the Atlanta Hawks on August 24, 2018. Carter started at forward and scored 12 points in his debut with the New York Knicks on October 17, making him the second oldest NBA player to start a season opener at 41 years and 264 days old. Only Robert Parish (42 years and 65 days old) was a more experienced opening-night NBA starter than Carter. In a 124-108 loss to the Toronto Raptors on November 21, he scored 14 points off the bench, his 22nd player in NBA history to reach 25,000 career points. The monumental moment, which occurred in the final seconds of the game, was made even more memorable by being slammed dunk and then joining his former team, which joined him in congratulating him on the court. In 111–108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 29, he tied for equal team-high 21 points. It was his first game with 20 points for Atlanta and the team's oldest player to lead or tie for the team's scoring lead. He was also the first NBA player to score 20+ points at 41 years and 337 days old, beating Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record by six days. Carter defeated Jerry West for 21st on the NBA's all-time scoring list on February 7, 2019. In a 168–161 quadruple-overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls, he logged his second-most minutes for the Hawks on March 1, 2019. Carter, who played at least 45 minutes in a game, was the first NBA player to play at least 45 minutes. In a 114–113 loss to the Miami Heat, he scored 21 points, all on 3-pointers, on March 4, all on 3-pointers. He now ranks 20th on the all-time scoring list, passed Jamal Crawford for sixth on the all-time 3-point field goals made list, became the youngest player to shoot seven 3-pointers, and broke his own record of being the first player to score 20+ points in a game at 42 years old. Carter claimed fifth place on the all-time games played list on March 31, against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Carter announced in June 2019 that he was going to retire at the end of the 2019-20 NBA season. Carter re-signed with the Hawks on September 20, 2019 and played his first game on October 24, 2019, marking his 22nd appearance in the series. Since being drafted in 1998, four of Carter's teammates were born. He became the fifth NBA player to play at least 1,500 games on December 10, 2019. Carter became the first NBA player to play in four decades on January 4, 2020, after a 116–111 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Carter took 19th on the NBA all-time scoring list on January 22, 2020, surpassing Alex English for 19th on the NBA all-time scoring list. Carter took third place in all-time NBA games played with 1,523 passing Dirk Nowitzki. Carter returned to the floor in the final seconds of the game against the New York Knicks on March 11, 2020, making a three-pointer in what would be his last game. The NBA ended the season the same day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Carter officially announced his retirement from the NBA on June 25, 2020, a month before the Hawks were scheduled to return to action on July 30, where the Hawks had not been allowed to play.

National team career

At the 1995 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Athens, Carter competed for head coach Kelvin Sampson on the United States national under-19 team. In the team's eight games, Samaki Walker and Ryan tied for the most blocks.

Carter led the United States in scoring averages of 14.8 points per game during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. When he jumped over 7-inch (2.18 m) French center Frédéric Weis, he also had one of his career's most memorable dunks. "It was one of the best plays I've ever seen," teammate Jason Kidd said. Later, the French media dubbed it "le dunk de la mort" ("the Dunk of Death"). That year, the United States team went on to win the gold medal. Carter confessed to channeling his anxiety about his personal life and Tracy McGrady's departure from the Raptors before the Olympics.

While Bryant was undergoing knee and shoulder surgery, Carter put him on the USA roster for the 2003 FIFA Americas Tournament. Bryant was wearing #8 in his jersey number 8. Bryant was supposed to return to his position in the 2004 Olympics but was forced to withdraw due to reports of sexual assault. Carter was given the Olympic opportunity but decided not to take time off during the summer to rest and recover, as well as marrying.

Career statistics

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