Getty Vince Carter
On Saturday night, Atlanta Hawks guard Vince Carter will play his final game in Dallas at 8:30 PM EST. Carter announced before the season, as a guest on ESPN’s The Jump, that his 22nd season would be his final rodeo in the NBA.
“I just think that after next season it is time,” he said on ESPN’s “The Jump.” “It’s been great.”
Here’s a look at the video from the show, which was revealed by Chris Montano of ESPN.
This season for the Hawks Carter is averaging career-lows with 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and one assist per game through 42 games in Atlanta. The Hawks didn’t bring Carter back because of his stats at this point in his career, the leadership and the knowledge that he can provide to a young locker room is what makes Carter so valuable to this team.
One of the players who has benefited the most from Vince Carter being on the Hawks the last two years is Trae Young.
Per Clutch Points’
“For him, he wants to develop and be a superstar. He wants to develop and be a leader. He wants to make a difference… even if you talk about it, the light has to kind of come on its own.”
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Darrell Armstrong on the possibility of coming back for 23rd season in the NBA
On Friday night before the Mavericks took on the Houston Rockets on the road, I spoke to Mavericks assistant coach Darrell Armstrong about the possibility of Vince Carter coming back next season.
“He has taken care of his body to come back back and do a 23rd year, so I wouldn’t doubt it. He is that type of person, that type of athlete, he is strong-willed. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if he does, but I think the golf course might take over basketball and the broadcast booth. Definitely, that because he has done that a lot during summer league, and enjoys it. However, until he is ready to go, I don’t blame him,” said Armstrong. “If he stays as long as he can because when you leave this game, you leave it, and you miss all the chemistry, the guys, the locker room, and isn’t so much playing anymore, it’s about hanging out with the fellas, and hanging around this game.”
Armstrong on Golfing With Carter Last Summer
Darrell Armstrong and Vince Carter love to go golfing in their free time during the off-season. I asked Armstrong if there were any memorable moments on the golf course with the future Hall of Famer.
“We usually go play and have a good time and enjoy it. I remember that the last time I played with him was a summer ago and we went out and played. And it’s funny because you just want to get out there and relax and have a good time and people start recognizing him. A lot of the time, he will begin to hide behind the tree, and I’ll be laughing so hard because he just wants to get out there and relax,” Armstrong told me. “I’ll never forget that day because I have to use the restroom and go behind the cart and handle my business while he finished the hole. My stomach started moving, but we always had a good time when going out there and playing golf, it’s just really relaxing and chill. It is just something different for him and me because it brings on a different challenge.”
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