An emotional Vince Carter acknowledged his controversial exit from Toronto as his No. 15 jersey turned the primary quantity retired by the Raptors in a halftime ceremony throughout Saturday’s sport in opposition to Sacramento.
“It’s not simply Carter 15 going up, it is all of us going up,” Carter advised followers earlier than a banner along with his identify and quantity was hoisted to the rafters. “Memories, nonetheless you see them, rise tonight. I hope and pray that we’ll get pleasure from our retired jersey collectively eternally.”
Carter walked to middle courtroom to start the ceremony and waved his arms for applause from the gang, then clenched his fists and yelled “Come on!” earlier than saying goodbye to the reply.
Former Toronto teammates Tracy McGrady, Antonio Davis, Kevin Willis, Charles Oakley, Morris Peterson, Dee Brown, Jerome Williams, Alvin Williams and Muggsy Bogues joined Carter, his household and Raptors president Masai Ujiri in subject for the ceremony.
“He taught us the way to fly,” Ujiri mentioned as he launched Carter to the cheering crowd.
Carter needed to cease a number of instances to regulate his feelings or wipe away tears throughout a pre-game press convention. At one level, speaking about his household, Carter cried he motioned for his young son Vincent Jr. to join him on the podium for a hug.
The solely participant in NBA historical past to play in 4 many years, Carter spent the primary six-plus of his file 22 seasons with the Raptors. He was the 1999 Rookie of the Year in his first season and an All-Star and Slam Dunk champion in his second, when Toronto reached the playoffs for the primary time.
Eliminated within the first spherical by the Knicks in his first postseason, Carter and the Raptors returned to the playoffs the next spring and shocked New York by profitable Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.
Before Saturday’s sport, Carter recalled that collection win as one of many fondest reminiscences of his time in Toronto.
“After what (former Knicks coach) Mr. Jeff Van Gundy put me by means of along with his protection, I used to be excited to have the chance to face that protection once more,” Carter mentioned.
Carter is credited with having an impression on basketball throughout Canada, influencing a era of future NBA gamers resembling Tristan Thompson, former Raptors guard Cory Joseph and present Raptors ahead Kelly Olynyk.
“The legacy continues to be rising,” Carter mentioned. “This is the icing on the cake.”
Thompson was considered one of a number of gamers, together with Stephen Curry and former Raptors Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, to file a congratulatory message for Carter in a video broadcast earlier than the on-court ceremony.
“I would not be right here with out you,” Thompson mentioned.
Early in his tenure in Toronto, Carter earned the nickname “Air Canada” for his high-flying dunks. As accidents mounted and his manufacturing declined, Carter confronted criticism from followers for changing into much less aggressive when content material to leap fairly than drive and make contact.
In December 2004, Carter was traded to the Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and a pair of first-round draft picks. Mourning by no means performed for Toronto.
For years, there was anger and animosity from Raptors followers towards Carter after he pushed to be traded from Toronto.
Ten years after that deal, the connection started when Carter visited Toronto with the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 19, 2014. The Raptors, celebrating their twentieth anniversary that season, honored Carter with a video tribute throughout a first-quarter sport. time expired.
Speaking throughout the halftime ceremony, Carter known as it “a day I’ll always remember.”
Although some followers booed because the montage started that night time, a lot of the sold-out crowd of 19,800 stood and applauded. An emotional Carter raised his arms, touched his coronary heart and wiped tears from his eyes.
During his pre-game press convention, Carter was as soon as once more overcome with emotion as he recalled seeing that video almost a decade in the past.
“It’s about seeing these highlights on this constructing, as a result of that is the place it was created,” he mentioned.
Carter retired in 2020 on the age of 43. Last month he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Saturday first, a mural of Carter was unveiled in downtown Toronto. In September, the Raptors unveiled a revitalized Vince Carter Court in a Toronto park.
Associated Press reporting.
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