The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is set to welcome a new class of 13 inductees, featuring Toronto Raptors great Vince Carter. According to The Score, inducting him is former Raptors star and Carter’s second cousin, Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady.
The Hall of Fame’s mission states that they desire “To honor and celebrate basketball’s greatest moments and people.” The enshrinement usually occurs in mid-August, but due to the 2024 Summer Olympics, it has been pushed back to October 12-13, 2024.
Vince Carter’s Early Career
After winning Florida’s Mr. Basketball award in 1995, Carter attended the University of North Carolina for three years. He helped the team to two consecutive Final Four appearances, though they ultimately fell short.
Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the 1998 NBA Draft at No. 5 overall, he was traded on draft night to the Raptors for his former Tar Heels teammate Antawn Jamison.
Carter has the unique distinction of not starting his NBA career until January of the next year, due to the NBA lockout. Once he did get going, it was immediately clear that he’d be an offensive force to be reckoned with. The Raptors’ faithful dubbed him “Air Canada” as he moved on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
It took just one more season before Carter made an impression on not just Canada, but the entire basketball universe. In 2000, his scoring average jumped to 25.7 points per game, earning him an All-Star selection and inclusion on the NBA’s All-NBA Third Team.
Speaking of All-Star Weekend, Carter put on a show for the ages.
After carrying the Raptors to their first playoff appearance in team history in 2000 (getting swept by the New York Knicks in the first round), Carter would get another chance in 2001.
The Raptors would take care of business in five games against the Knicks before a showdown with Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. The series would go seven games with both Iverson and Carter carrying their teams. Game 7 would come down to Carter’s final shot with 2.0 seconds left, ultimately missing and sending the Raptors home.
A Legend Moves On, Again and Again
After six-plus seasons in Toronto, a midseason trade moved Carter to the New Jersey Nets. While he had a statistically excellent four-plus seasons in New Jersey, topping out at 27.5 points per game in 2004-05, he never made it out of the second round of the playoffs.
After New Jersey, Carter would start transitioning from a full-time starter to a part-time starter to a bench player after he moved from the Nets, he’d play for the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks.
The Dunk of Death
While Carter was more than just a dunker, many of his most memorable moments were of the high-flying variety. No moment was more memorable than his dunk in the 2000 Summer Olympics against France. Frederick Weis certainly will never forget it.
Carter led the United States in scoring (14.8 points per game) en route to a Gold Medal.
2024 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees
Seimone Augustus, Player
Dick Barnett, Player
Chauncey Billups, Player
Vince Carter, Player
Doug Collins, Contributor – Coach/Broadcaster
Michael Cooper, Player
Walter Davis, Player
Harley Redin, Coach
Bo Ryan, Coach
Herb Simon, Contributor – Owner
Charles Smith, Coach
Michele Timms, Player
Jerry West, Contributor – Executive
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Raptors Legend to Induct Vince Carter Into Hall of Fame