Vince Carter reflects on Nets career before No. 15 jersey retirement
Yesterday at 07:57 PM
Vince Carter will enter the inner circle of Nets immortals when the team raises his No. 15 to the rafters on Saturday.
“Excitement, nerves, just positive energy,” he said of his emotions leading up to the night.
Over five seasons in New Jersey, the eight-time All-Star earned a reputation as one of the most electrifying players in franchise history. His Nets tenure, which followed an ugly exit from the Toronto Raptors, was an NBA rebirth.
"How do I sum it up? New life. It was new life,” Carter said. “The crazy thing about that is that I was criticized for it. And it was strange because it’s like my role in Toronto was just give me the ball, I can get you a bucket. I didn’t mind having to work hard to get a bucket. And then when I got here, that’s all I knew. But then you have a guy who makes the game easier for you, Jason Kidd.”
“You mean all I have to do now is put the ball in the basket? I don’t have to run around? I don’t have to dribble around unless I need to? Oh, that’s easy. That's second nature. That's what we all do. So he made the game easier for me.”
New Jersey acquired Carter from Toronto in Dec. 2004. He averaged 27.5 points per game in his first year with the team, the highest single-season scoring average in the franchise's NBA era. The forward finished his Nets tenure with three All-Star appearances, averaging 23.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals on 45/37/81 shooting splits.
His 8,834 points rank third on the Nets’ all-time scoring list, trailing Brook Lopez and Buck Williams, despite playing over 1,600 fewer minutes than both. Carter’s 23.6 points per game also rank third among players to play at least 150 games with the team, trailing only Rick Barry (30.6) and Julius Erving (28.2).
Vince Carter opens up on meaning of Nets jersey retirement
After acquiring Carer, the Nets didn’t achieve their championship goals. They made the playoffs his first three years with the team, losing in the first round once and the second round twice. However, his highlight reel dunks and signature "V-C-three!" arena announcement became staples of the fan experience at the Meadowlands.
“Obviously, the Alonzo Mourning dunk is often talked about,” Carter said when asked for his favorite Nets memory. “I remember more than anything, after the dunk happened, glancing at the bench and my college teammate, Jeff McGinnis, acting a fool over there. And [on the] outside — you know, I had the mean mug face, and it felt so good — but [on the] inside, I was laughing. And then my good buddy Shaq, who wasn’t on the court, who probably would have been the guy there, and if you know the story about Shaq and I in my Toronto days, I tried to dunk on him. He laid me out. So I’m thankful he wasn’t up there, because that wouldn’t be a play in history.”
18 years ago today, Vince Carter's most famous dunk on Alonzo Mourning.
VC claims Alonzo didn't talk to him for 6-7 years after that poster. VC also dunked on Zo 2 more times (all 3 in this video). pic.twitter.com/eg0bp0QECF
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 7, 2023
Carter will be the seventh player in Nets franchise history to have his number retired, joining Bill Melchionni (25), Julius Erving (32), John Williamson (23), Buck Williams (52), Drazen Petrovic (3) and Jason Kidd (5).
“Talking with Buck Williams a couple of days ago… I didn’t fanboy, but that just took me back to a memory,” he said. “When I first got here, I was injured, but my first couple of times in the arena, I remember obviously looking up there. I don’t know, I just always like to admire arenas and what’s up there, the jerseys. I’m pretty sure I said, ‘Man, I’d love to see my jersey up there.’ I definitely know I said that in Carolina, with all the history in Carolina, but I’m pretty sure I probably said it before.
“But I just remember always seeing 52 up there. Obviously, that other guy [Dr. J], who I kind of admire as well, seeing those guys up there night and night out. And I would always just glance up there. So really, meeting Buck — I mean, I think we crossed paths in his last years and my early years, but just getting to see him. It’s always cool when guys like that say, ‘Welcome to the club.'”
Carter requested that Erving, who he calls “his idol,” introduce him during his Hall-of-Fame enshrinement in October. What does having his No. 15 alongside Dr. J’s No. 32 in the Barclays Center rafters mean?
"Everything,” Carter quickly replied. “I have so much respect for Doc… I received that phone call from him, and he was like, 'Oh, man I would love [to introduce you at the Hall-of-Fame.' And that meant so much. I'm so darn emotional these days, it pisses me off. And I can explain it because I have a great appreciation for what the Hall of Fame means, and not many guys get that opportunity. I have a great appreciation for being honored and having your jersey retired because not a lot of guys get an opportunity to do it. I don't take it for granted.”
“And for somebody as iconic as Dr. J, who was my hero, to call me and be like, 'Heck yeah, I'll do it.'… I'm truly honored. Period. And now I get to go up beside you? God, it's crazy.”
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