Vince Carter Has Dunked His Last Basket

After an unprecedented 22 seasons in the NBA, Vince Carter formally announced his basketball playing career is over.

Carter, 43, has the distinction of being the only NBA player to play during four different decades.
I remember him best from his early days with the Toronto Raptors when he won the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1999, was the Slam Dunk champion during the NBA All-Star Game in 2000 and earned a gold medal that same year with the U.S. Olympic team in Athens. Carter was a perennial NBA All-Star during his tenure with both the Raptors and the New Jersey Nets.

Remarkably, Carter made the transition from being a superstar to a sixth man which saw him continue his career with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and finally the Atlanta Hawks.

Carter finishes his career with more than 25,000 points, over 5,000 rebounds, in excess of 4,000 assists and 500 made 3-pointers. The only other four NBA players who can make that claim are Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Paul Pierce and the late Kobe Bryant. Yes, Carter is in their class.

The only thing which eluded Carter during his 22-year career was a NBA Title ring. But this will not impede him from the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

At least Carter went out on a high note on an otherwise ominous day. Carter would play his final NBA game on March 11th - the evening NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the suspension of the season due to COVID-19. The Hawks would lose to the New York Knicks 136-131, but Carter got a chance to shoot one last three pointer. We should all be so fortunate.