Vince Carter of Daytona Beach, Florida is now in the National Basketball Association record books. By playing 10 minutes on Thursday for the Atlanta Hawks, in a 117-100 win over the Detroit Pistons, Carter set the NBA record for most seasons by one player in a NBA career with 22.
Carter did not generate any points against the Pistons, but did record an assist on a three-point shot by De’Andre Hunter at 3:11 of the fourth quarter which put the Hawks up 97-83 at the time. Carter was also a +10 while on the court, and had one turnover and one personal foul.
During his 22 year NBA career, Carter has played seven seasons for the Toronto Raptors, five seasons with the New Jersey Nets, three seasons each with the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies, two seasons each with the Hawks and Orlando Magic and one season each with Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.
An eight-time all-star, Carter was the 1999 rookie of the year with the Raptors. That season he averaged 18.3 points per game as the season was limited to only 50 games because of a lockout. Carter averaged a career high 27.6 points per game two years later with the Raptors in 2000-01.
Carter was initially the first round draft pick, fifth overall, by the Golden State Warriors in the 1998 NBA Draft. He was then traded to the Raptors on draft day for Antawn Jamison, who the Raptors selected with the fourth overall draft pick. Carter and Jamison were teammates at the University of North Carolina.
Four players have played in the NBA for 21 seasons. They are Robert Parish, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Willis and Kevin Garnett.
