Vince Carter facts for kids
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Carter with the New Jersey Nets in 2008
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | January 26, 1977 Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S. |
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| High school | Mainland (Daytona Beach, Florida) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | North Carolina (1995–1998) | |||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1998 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Golden State Warriors | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1998–2020 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2004 | Toronto Raptors | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2009 | New Jersey Nets | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Orlando Magic | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Phoenix Suns | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2014 | Dallas Mavericks | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Memphis Grizzlies | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Sacramento Kings | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Atlanta Hawks | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 25,728 (16.7 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 6,606 (4.3 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 4,714 (3.1 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for 22 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This is a record, tied with LeBron James for the most seasons ever.
Vince Carter mostly played as a shooting guard and small forward. He was an eight-time NBA All-Star and was chosen for the All-NBA Team twice. He is the only player to have played in the NBA across four different decades. In 2024, Carter was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Carter was famous for his amazing dunks and leaping ability. Fans gave him nicknames like "Vinsanity", "Air Canada", and "Half Man, Half Amazing". Many players, journalists, and even the NBA itself have called him the greatest dunker of all time. His "Dunk of Death" during the 2000 Summer Olympics is one of the most famous dunks ever. Besides dunking, Carter was also a great three-point shooter. He made the tenth most three-point shots in NBA history.
Before the NBA, Carter was a McDonald's All-American in high school. He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He helped his team reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament twice. In the 1998 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors picked him fifth overall. They then traded him to the Toronto Raptors.
In Toronto, Carter became a global star. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1999. He also won the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend. He played for the United States in the 2000 Summer Olympics. There, he led the team in scoring and won a gold medal. Later, Carter played for the New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks. In 2016, he received the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.
Off the court, Carter started the Embassy of Hope Foundation. This charity helps children and families in Florida, New Jersey, and Ontario. He was named Child Advocate of the Year in 2000. In 2007, he received the Florida Governor's Points of Light award for his charity work. Carter was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
Contents
Early Life and High School Sports
Vince Carter was born in Daytona Beach, Florida. He went to Mainland High School in Daytona Beach. He first played football as a quarterback. But a broken wrist in his first year made him switch to volleyball.
In volleyball, he was named the best player in Volusia County. He averaged 24 kills per match, which was a lot more than his teammates. He was also offered a scholarship to play the saxophone at Bethune–Cookman University.
Carter led his high school basketball team to its first state title in 56 years. He was a McDonald's All-American in 1995. In his senior year, he averaged 22 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.5 blocks per game. He chose to play college basketball at North Carolina.
College Basketball Career
Carter started at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995. He played three seasons of college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels. His coaches were Dean Smith and later Bill Guthridge.
During his second and third years, Carter helped North Carolina win two ACC men's basketball tournament titles. They also reached the Final Four twice. In his junior year (1997–98), he averaged 15.6 points per game. He was named second-team All-American.
After his junior year in May 1998, Carter decided to enter the 1998 NBA draft. While playing in the NBA, Carter kept taking classes at North Carolina. He graduated in August 2000 with a degree in Afro-American studies.
NBA Journey: Toronto Raptors
The Golden State Warriors first drafted Vince Carter as the fifth pick in the 1998 NBA draft. But they immediately traded him to the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors were a new team and had struggled in their first few years. Carter helped them reach their first playoff appearance in 2000. He then led them to a 47-win season and their first playoff series win in 2001.
Because of an NBA lockout, Carter started playing in February 1999. He quickly became a fan favorite. His amazing dunks earned him the nickname "Air Canada." He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award by averaging 18.3 points.
In his second season, Carter became a true star. He averaged 25.7 points per game, which was fourth-highest in the league. He helped Toronto reach the playoffs for the first time. He was also chosen for his first NBA All-Star team.
At the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend, Carter put on one of the most memorable Slam Dunk Contest performances ever. He won the contest with incredible dunks. These included a 360-degree windmill, a between-the-legs bounce dunk, and an "elbow in the rim" dunk.
Carter and his cousin, Tracy McGrady, were a powerful duo for the Raptors from 1998 to 2000. But McGrady left in 2000, making Carter the Raptors' main player. In the 2000–01 season, Carter averaged a career-high 27.6 points per game. The Raptors won a team-record 47 games.
In the playoffs, the Raptors beat the New York Knicks. They then faced the Philadelphia 76ers in a tough seven-game series. Carter scored 50 points in one game, setting an NBA playoff record for most three-pointers in a game. In the final game, Carter missed a shot that could have won the series.
In August 2001, Carter signed a big contract extension with the Raptors. He missed many games in the 2001–02 season due to injury. He still averaged 24.7 points per game. On December 7, 2001, he had 42 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals. This was a rare achievement in NBA history. He was chosen for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game but could not play due to injury.
In February 2003, Carter gave up his starting spot in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game to Michael Jordan. This allowed Jordan to make his final All-Star start.
Moving to the Nets
After many trade rumors, Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets on December 17, 2004. He was traded for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams, and two draft picks.
When Carter first returned to Toronto on April 15, 2005, Raptors fans booed him loudly. He scored 39 points in a Nets victory. Fans continued to boo him for years. Despite this, he often played very well in Toronto as a Net. On January 8, 2006, Carter hit a game-winning three-pointer with 0.1 seconds left. He called it one of his greatest shots ever.
In November 2011, Carter spoke about being booed in Toronto. He said he understood why fans were upset when he left. But he still loved the city and appreciated his time there. He said Toronto was one of the best places to play.
Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri called Carter "one of the symbols of the Toronto Raptors." Carter is still one of the Raptors' top scorers in team history. His jersey was retired by the Raptors on November 2, 2024. He was the first Raptors player to have his jersey retired.
New Jersey Nets Era
Vince Carter played five seasons for the New Jersey Nets after being traded in December 2004. He had some of his best scoring years with the Nets. He averaged 23.6 points per game during his time there. He rarely missed games and helped the Nets reach the playoffs three times in a row.
Carter joined a Nets team that included Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. Carter and Kidd led the team to a strong finish in the 2004–05 season, making the playoffs.
In the 2005–06 season, Carter and Kidd led the Nets to 49 wins. They won the Atlantic Division title. Carter helped the Nets reach the second round of the playoffs. They lost to the Miami Heat, who later won the NBA championship. Carter averaged 29.6 points in those playoff games. He was named an Eastern Conference All-Star in 2006.
On November 7, 2005, Carter had a memorable dunk over Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat. On December 23, 2005, he scored a career-high 51 points in the same game. He also set an NBA record for most free throws made in one quarter (16).
In the 2006–07 season, Carter was named an All-Star for the eighth time. On April 7, 2007, Carter and Kidd both recorded triple-doubles in the same game. This was the first time teammates had done this since 1989. Carter finished with 46 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. He played all 82 games that season, averaging over 25 points.
In July 2007, Carter signed a new four-year contract with the Nets. In the 2007–08 season, Kidd was traded. Carter became a leader for the Nets. In the 2008–09 season, he and teammate Devin Harris were one of the highest-scoring backcourts in the league. On November 21, 2008, Carter scored 39 points against the Toronto Raptors. He hit a game-tying three-pointer to send the game into overtime. Then he scored the winning basket with a dunk.
On January 25, 2025, Carter's jersey was retired by the Nets.
Later Career Teams
Orlando Magic (2009–2010)
On June 25, 2009, Carter was traded to the Orlando Magic. The Magic hoped he would help their star center Dwight Howard by providing more scoring from outside. On February 8, 2010, Carter scored a season-high 48 points. He helped the Magic come back from a 17-point deficit to win. Carter helped the Magic reach the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics.
Phoenix Suns (2010–2011)
On December 18, 2010, Carter was traded to the Phoenix Suns. On January 17, 2011, Carter scored 29 points and had 12 rebounds. During this game, he reached 20,000 career points. He became the 37th NBA player to achieve this milestone. The Suns waived Carter in December 2011.
Dallas Mavericks (2011–2014)
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On December 12, 2011, Carter signed a three-year contract with the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. This reunited him with his former Nets teammate Jason Kidd. While known for dunks earlier, Carter became known for his three-point shooting with the Mavericks.
On February 13, 2013, Carter scored 26 points. This moved him past Larry Bird on the NBA's career scoring list. He also became the 11th NBA player with at least 1,600 three-pointers. He finished the season ranked 27th on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
For the 2013–14 season, Carter became the Mavericks' "sixth man." This means he was a key player who came off the bench. On March 16, 2014, Carter passed 23,000 career points. In the playoffs, Carter hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs. This gave the Mavericks a big win.
Memphis Grizzlies (2014–2017)
On July 12, 2014, Carter signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. On November 13, 2014, he made a game-winning pass to teammate Courtney Lee at the buzzer. This won the game for the Grizzlies. On December 17, 2014, Carter scored 18 points and passed Robert Parish for 25th in all-time NBA scoring.
In the 2015–16 season, Carter passed Charles Barkley for 24th in career points. He was awarded the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award for the 2015–16 season. This award recognizes the best teammate based on selfless play and leadership.
In the 2016–17 season, Carter continued to set records. On November 1, 2016, he played in his 1,278th NBA game. He also became the 24th player in NBA history to score over 24,000 career points. On November 8, he scored 20 points. This made him the oldest player in the NBA to have a 20-point game since Michael Jordan in 2003.
On January 11, Carter hit his 1,989th career three-pointer, moving him into fifth place on the all-time list. On February 1, he hit his 2,000th career three-pointer. This made him only the fifth player ever to reach that mark. On March 13, Carter scored a season-high 24 points. He made all eight of his shots, including six three-pointers. He became the first 40-year-old in NBA history to hit six three-pointers in one game.
Sacramento Kings (2017–2018)
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On July 10, 2017, Carter signed a one-year contract with the Sacramento Kings. On December 27, 2017, Carter scored a season-high 24 points. This was the first time in NBA history that a player over 40 years old scored at least 20 points coming off the bench. On March 19, 2018, Carter passed Patrick Ewing for 22nd place on the NBA's career scoring list. He was also recognized by the NBA Players Association as the Most Influential Veteran and received the Backbone Award and Most Respected Award.
Atlanta Hawks (2018–2020)
On August 24, 2018, Carter signed with the Atlanta Hawks. On October 17, 2018, he started his first game for the Hawks. He became the second oldest player in NBA history to start a season opener at 41 years old. On November 21, he scored 14 points and became the 22nd player in NBA history to reach 25,000 career points. This milestone happened against his original team, the Toronto Raptors, who congratulated him.
On December 29, Carter scored 21 points. He became the oldest player in NBA history to score 20+ points at 41 years and 337 days old. On March 1, 2019, Carter played 45 minutes in a game. At 42, he became the oldest player in NBA history to play that many minutes. On March 4, he scored 21 points, all from three-pointers. He passed Reggie Miller for 20th on the all-time scoring list. He also became the oldest player to shoot seven three-pointers. On March 31, Carter passed Karl Malone for fifth place on the all-time games played list.
In June 2019, Carter announced he planned to retire after the 2019–20 NBA season. On September 20, 2019, he re-signed with the Hawks, making his 22nd season official. On December 10, 2019, he became the fifth player in NBA history to play at least 1,500 games. On January 4, 2020, Carter became the only player in NBA history to have played in four different decades. On January 31, 2020, Carter moved up to third place in all-time NBA games played.
Carter's final game was on March 11, 2020, when he made a three-pointer. The NBA season was suspended that day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Carter officially announced his retirement from the NBA on June 25, 2020, at age 43.
Playing for Team USA
Carter played for the U.S. men's under-19 team in 1995.
During the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Carter led the U.S. team in scoring. He averaged 14.8 points per game. He also performed one of his most famous dunks. He jumped over 7-foot-2-inch French center Frédéric Weis. His teammate Jason Kidd called it "one of the best plays I've ever seen." The French media called it "le dunk de la mort" ("the Dunk of Death"). The U.S. team won the gold medal that year. This dunk is considered one of the greatest and most famous dunks of all time.
Carter also played for Team USA in the 2003 FIBA Americas Tournament. He wore Kobe Bryant's jersey number 8.
Other Activities and Interests
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Vince Carter opened a restaurant named after himself in Daytona Beach in 2010. His mother managed it. They sold the restaurant in January 2017.
Carter signed a sponsorship deal with Puma when he first joined the NBA. His first signature shoe, the Puma Vinsanity, was released. But Carter ended his contract early, saying the shoes hurt his feet. Before the 2000 Summer Olympics, Carter signed with Nike. His first signature Nike Shox shoe, the Nike Shox BB4 PE, came out in 2000. Nike released several other Shox shoes with Carter's name. During his last season, Nike re-released his first Nike signature shoe, the Shox BB4.
On September 17, 2020, ESPN announced that Carter had signed a contract to be an NBA and college basketball analyst. In October 2023, Carter joined YES Network as a part-time analyst for Brooklyn Nets games. He also works as a part-time Hawks TV analyst.
In December 2024, Carter became part of a group that bought a small share of the National Football League's Buffalo Bills. He joined NBA on TNT in 2024 and NBA on NBC in 2025 as a studio analyst.
Awards and Achievements
Vince Carter is the only player in NBA history to have played in a game in four different decades. He is the fourth oldest player to compete in the NBA. He is one of only six players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game for 10 seasons in a row. He is also one of six players to record 24,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, 2,500 assists, 1,000 steals, and 1,000 three-point field goals. Carter holds the record for the most game-winning three-point buzzer-beaters in NBA history.
- 8× NBA All-Star selection: 2000–2007 (did not play in 2002 due to injury)
- Olympic gold medal: 2000
- 2× All-NBA:
- Second Team: 2001
- Third Team: 2000
- NBA Slam Dunk Champion: 2000
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1999
- NBA Rookie of the Year Award: 1999
- The Sporting News NBA Rookie of the Year: 1999
- Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award: 2016
- NBA Sportsmanship Award: 2020
- NBA Playoff Records
- Most three-point field goals made in one half: 8 (May 11, 2001 vs. Philadelphia 76ers)
- Most consecutive three-point field goals made in one game: 8 (same game as above)
- Most consecutive three-point field goals made in one half: 8 (same game as above)
- First and only 40-year-old player to hit at least three 3-pointers in a playoff game: 3 (April 22, 2017 vs. San Antonio Spurs)
- Toronto Raptors Team Records
- Most points scored in a season: 2,107 (1999–2000)
- Most points scored in a playoff game: 50 (May 11, 2001 vs. Philadelphia 76ers)
- Highest team career points per game average: 23.4
- Highest points per game in a season: 27.6 (2000–01)
- Most field goals made in a season: 788 (1999–2000)
- Most field goals made in a game: 20 (January 14, 2000 vs. Milwaukee Bucks)
- Most minutes played in a game: 63 (February 23, 2001 vs. Sacramento Kings)
- New Jersey Nets Team Records
- Most points scored in a season: 2,070 (2006–07)
Vince Carter in Media
Vince Carter has appeared in several video games, TV shows, and films.
- He was on the cover of NBA 2K25 - Hall of Fame Edition.
- He was on the cover of NBA Live 2004 and NBA Inside Drive 2002.
- He was in the movie Like Mike (2002).
- He appeared in music videos for Fabolous and Glenn Lewis.
- He was in the TV series Moesha in 1999.
- He was featured in the documentary film The Carter Effect (2017), about his impact on Canadian basketball.
- He was also in the documentary film Vince Carter: Legacy (2021), about his 22-season NBA career.
- He hosts Vince's Places (2022) on ESPN+, a show about basketball history.
Personal Life and Charity
Vince Carter has two children. He has donated to his high school, Mainland High School. He also started his charity, The Embassy of Hope, in 1998. On February 3, 2007, a statue of Carter was unveiled at Mainland High School.
Carter is also the second cousin of NBA player Tracy McGrady. They were teammates with the Raptors from 1998 to 2000. They did not know they were related until a family reunion in 1997.
Images for kids
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Carter in 2003
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See also
In Spanish: Vince Carter para niños
