Former Raptors star Vince Carter, 43, retires after record 22 NBA seasons

He was Public Enemy No. 1 in Toronto for a long time after he left, but fans have since warmed up to the man who is seen as a huge reason why Canada is now rich in young basketball talent.

Carter won the NBA rookie of the year award in 1999, and the dunk contest in 2000 while with Toronto.

Carter’s first season was the 1998-99 campaign, which was shortened to 50 games because of labour strife. His final season was shortened by the coronavirus pandemic, and the Hawks will not be part of the 22 teams headed to the Disney complex near Orlando, Florida, next month for the planned resumption of NBA play.

“It’s kind of a cool situation for me because I came into the league on a shortened season and I walk away from the league on a shortened season,” Carter said on the “Winging It” podcast. “So for me, it’s just kind of a unique situation.”

Carter scored 25,728 points in his career, 19th-most in NBA history. He had 9,420 with Toronto, the fourth-highest total in franchise history behind DeMar DeRozan (13,296), Chris Bosh (10,275) and Kyle Lowry (9,649). He averaged 23.4 points per game over his time with Toronto.

He received a standing ovation during a video tribute in Atlanta’s 130-114 loss at Toronto on Jan. 28. That would end up being his last NBA game north of the border, as a an April 10 meeting at Scotiabank Arena was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hawks quickly lauded Carter for what he’s done, not just in two years with Atlanta but over the totality of his career.

“Throughout his historic 22-year journey covering an unprecedented four different decades, his evolving career arc was perhaps like none other in league history — from Top 5 Draft Pick to Rookie of the Year to Slam Dunk Champion to superstar and eight-time All-Star to Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year and valuable role player,” the Hawks said on their website.

Carter’s last game was March 11, a contest the Hawks lost at home in overtime to New York. By the time that game was winding down, the NBA already had announced that it was suspending the season at the conclusion of that night’s play after Utah centre Rudy Gobert became the first player in the league known to test positive for the coronavirus.

The moment was not lost on Atlanta fans, who chanted “We want Vince!” repeatedly with 19.5 seconds left in overtime and with the Knicks’ victory clearly decided. Carter checked back into the game at that point, inbounded the ball to Trae Young, then trailed the play as the Hawks headed downcourt.

Young flipped the ball back to Carter, who took an uncontested three-pointer. The shot went in, Carter threw his arms skyward, and the clock ran out on the game a few seconds later.

What many suspected would be the case that night became reality: The clock had run out on Carter’s career, too.

“There were times, probably in April, I was like, ‘Man, I wish this didn’t happen like that,'” Carter said. “And then, after a while, I was kind of like, ‘It is what it is.’ Once I was able to kind of put that aside and say: ‘Retire, Vince. You can go and golf now,’ it’s been easier.”

Carter was an eight-time All-Star selection, was rookie of the year in 1999, won the slam dunk contest in 2000 and helped USA Basketball win gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics — highlighted by his dunk over 7-foot-2 French centre Frederic Weis — and the 2003 FIBA Americas tournament.

Carter said he will still play the game of basketball — for fun. It has long been expected that television networks will pursue him as an analyst, something he’s dabbled in at NBA Summer League in recent years.

“I’m officially done playing basketball professionally,” Carter said. “I’ll play at home.”

— With files from The Canadian Press

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The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Former Raptors star Vince Carter, 43, retires after record 22 NBA seasons

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