Emotional Carter acknowledges contentious exit from Toronto as Raptors retire former star’s jersey

TORONTO (AP) — An emotional Vince Carter acknowledged his contentious exit from Toronto as his No. 15 jersey grew to become the primary quantity retired by the Raptors in a halftime ceremony throughout Saturday’s recreation towards Sacramento.

“It’s not simply Carter 15 going up, it’s all of us going up,” Carter advised followers earlier than a banner together with his title and quantity was lifted to the rafters. “The recollections, nonetheless you view it, goes up tonight. I hope and pray we take pleasure in our jersey being retired perpetually collectively.”

Carter walked to middle court docket to start the ceremony and gestured together with his palms to request cheers from the gang, after which balled his fists and roared “Come on!” earlier than saluting the response.

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 on the court docket for the ceremony.

“He taught us how you can fly,” Ujiri mentioned in introducing Carter to the cheering crowd.

Carter needed to pause a number of occasions to manage his feelings or dab at tears throughout a pregame press convention. At one level, talking about his household, a tearful Carter beckoned his younger son Vincent Jr. to affix him on the podium for an embrace.

The one participant in NBA historical past to play in 4 a long time, Carter spent the primary six-plus of his report 22 seasons with the Raptors. He was the 1999 Rookie of the Yr in his first season and an All-Star and the Slam Dunk champion in his second, when Toronto made the playoffs for the primary time.

Swept out of the primary spherical by the Knicks in his first postseason, Carter and the Raptors returned to the playoffs the next spring and upset New York by successful Sport 5 at Madison Sq. Backyard.

Earlier than Saturday’s recreation, Carter recalled that sequence victory as among the best recollections of his time in Toronto.

“Going by means of what (former Knicks coach) Mr. Jeff Van Gundy put me by means of together with his protection, I used to be excited to have that chance to go towards that protection once more,” Carter mentioned.

Carter is credited for impacting basketball throughout Canada, influencing a era of future NBA gamers corresponding to Tristan Thompson, former Raptors guard Cory Joseph and present Raptors ahead Kelly Olynyk.

“The legacy remains to be rising,” Carter mentioned. “That is the icing on the cake.”

Thompson was certainly one of a number of gamers, together with Stephen Curry and former Raptors Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, to report a congratulatory message for Carter in a video that performed earlier than the on-court ceremony.

“I wouldn’t be right here with out you,” Thompson mentioned.

Early on in his Toronto tenure, 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 he settled for jumpers fairly than driving and drawing 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 out of Toronto.

A decade on from that deal, the relationship-mending started when Carter visited Toronto with the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 19, 2014. The Raptors, who have been celebrating their twentieth anniversary that season, honored Carter with a tribute video throughout a first-quarter timeout.

Talking within the halftime ceremony, Carter referred to as it “a day I’ll always remember.”

Though just a few followers booed because the montage started that night time, many of the sellout crowd of 19,800 quickly stood and cheered. An emotional Carter raised his arms, tapped his coronary heart and wiped tears from his eyes.

Throughout his pregame press convention Carter was overcome with emotion once more as he recalled watching that video virtually a decade in the past.

“It’s one thing about seeing these highlights on this constructing, as a result of that’s the place it was created,” he mentioned.

Carter retired in 2020 at age 43. Final month, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame.

Earlier Saturday, a mural of Carter was unveiled in downtown Toronto. In September, the Raptors unveiled a revitalized Vince Carter Court docket at a Toronto park.

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