Vince Carter retires at age 43

Oct 16, 2019; New York, NY, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Vince Carter (15) looks to pass during the first half against New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox (20) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The oldest active player in the National Basketball Association has officially retired at age 43. Vince Carter played 22 NBA seasons from 1998 to 2020 with the Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns.

Carter played his final season with the Hawks, where he averaged five points per game while coming off the bench in 60 contests. In his career, Carter averaged 16.7 points per game in 1541 NBA games.

There was no doubt that there was a ton of buzz when Carter first joined the Raptors in 1998. He was the NBA’s rookie of the year in 1998-99 as he averaged 18.3 points per game. Carter then went on to be an all-star for the next eight seasons (six in Toronto and two in New Jersey).

While with the Raptors, Carter was nicknamed simply as “Air Canada.” He was known for his remarkable dunks that looked easy to accomplish. The Golden State Warriors drafted Carter in the first round, fifth overall in the 1998 NBA Draft, and then traded Carter to the Raptors for Antawn Jamison, who the Raptors selected fourth overall.

There was an instant interest. Carter became the face of Canadian basketball. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, people thought of Carter when Canadian basketball was mentioned. Carter was even talked about more than Steve Nash (the greatest Canadian basketball player of all-time), and the game’s inventor, Dr. James Naismith. The Raptors were frequently shown on NBC, were seen on Christmas Day, and it was the star of the University of North Carolina that everyone was talking about throughout North America.

Things changed in 2004 however. Carter had had his fair share of injuries. On December 17, eight days before Christmas, Carter was traded to the Nets in a blockbuster. Raptors fans felt betrayed by Carter, who wanted out of Canada, and asked Raptors management for a trade.

As a fan who was following the Raptors from western Canada, I remember Carter’s presence well. However, I thought he was too one-dimensional. He was flawless in the opponent’s zone, but when the Raptors did not have the basketball, he seemed to lack a defensive presence.

Still what people should remember Carter by most is his longevity. Playing 22 seasons in any professional sports league is quite simply, phenomenal.