Former Toronto Raptors player Vince Carter reacts during his number retirement ceremony at halftime of the NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Toronto. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO – An emotional Vince Carter acknowledged his controversial exit from Toronto as his No. 15 jersey became the first number to be retired by the Raptors in a halftime ceremony during Saturday’s game against Sacramento.
“It’s not just Carter 15, it’s all of us going up,” Carter told fans before raising a banner with his name and number on it to the ceiling. “Memories, whichever way you look at it, last till tonight. I hope and pray that together we will enjoy retiring our jerseys forever.”
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To begin the ceremony, Carter walked to center court and requested the crowd to cheer by gesturing with his hands, and then pumped his fists and roared “Come on!” Before saluting the reaction.
READ: NBA: Vince Carter jersey’s first number retired by Toronto Raptors
Former Toronto teammates Tracy McGrady, Antonio Davis, Kevin Willis, Charles Oakley, Morris Peterson, Dee Brown, Jerome Williams, Alvin Williams and Muggsy Boggs joined Carter, his family and Raptors president Masai Ujiri on the court for the ceremony .
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“He taught us how to fly,” Ujiri said as he introduced Carter to the cheering crowd.
VC’s mural unveiled🎨 pic.twitter.com/pHvYm2LhQq
– Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) 2 November 2024
Carter had to pause several times during the pregame press conference to control his emotions or fight back tears. At one point, while speaking about his family, a tearful Carter gestured to his young son Vincent Jr. to join him on stage for a hug.
The only player in NBA history to play four decades, Carter spent the first six-plus of his record 22 seasons with the Raptors. He was the 1999 Rookie of the Year in his first season and was an All-Star and slam dunk champion in his second season, when Toronto made the playoffs for the first time.
READ: Vince Carter is the frontrunner for 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
Eliminated in the first round by the Knicks in their first postseason, Carter and the Raptors returned to the playoffs the following spring and upset New York by winning Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.
Before Saturday’s game, Carter recalled that series win as one of the best memories of his time in Toronto.
“I was excited to get the opportunity to go against that defense again because of what (former Knicks coach) Mr. Jeff Van Gundy taught me on his defense,” Carter said.
Carter is credited with influencing basketball across Canada, influencing a generation of future NBA players such as Tristan Thompson, former Raptors guard Cory Joseph and current Raptors forward Kelly Olynyk.
“The legacy is still growing,” Carter said. “This is the icing on the cake.”
Former Toronto Raptors player Vince Carter reacts while hugging his mother Michelle Carter during his number retirement ceremony at halftime of the NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Toronto. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Thompson was one of several players, including Stephen Curry and former Raptors Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who recorded a congratulatory message for Carter in a video played before the on-court ceremony.
“I wouldn’t be here without you,” Thompson said.
Early in his Toronto tenure, Carter earned the nickname “Air Canada” for his high-flying dunks. As injuries increased and his production declined, Carter faced criticism from fans for being less aggressive when he resorted to jumpers instead of 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 never played for Toronto.
There was anger and hostility among Raptors fans towards Carter for years after he was traded away from Toronto.
A decade after that deal, the relationship began to improve when Carter visited Toronto with the Memphis Grizzlies on November 19, 2014. The Raptors, who were celebrating their 20th anniversary that season, honored Carter with a tribute video during the first quarter. Timeout.
Speaking at the halftime ceremony, Carter called it “a day I’ll never forget.”
Although some fans booed as the montage began that night, most of the sellout crowd of 19,800 soon stood and cheered. An emotional Carter raised his arms, patted his heart and wiped tears from his eyes.
Carter became emotional again during his pregame press conference as he remembered watching that video nearly a decade ago.
“It’s about seeing those main attractions in this building, because that’s where it was built,” he said.
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Carter retired in 2020 at the age of 43. Last month, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Earlier on Saturday, a mural of Carter was unveiled in downtown Toronto. In September, the Raptors unveiled a revived Vince Carter Court at Toronto Park.
