Vince Carter will be flying over ESPN sooner or later.
He’s 43 years old and had begun his 22nd year in pro basketball before the pandemic hit. His net worth is $110 million and will forever own the nicknames “Vinsanity” and “Air Canada.”
Carter was already a sensational athlete who really didn’t know how to play basketball when he arrived at UNC in the summer of 1995. Dean Smith told Vince that he had to earn whatever playing time he wanted and had to keep improving to get more.
It was culture shock for the 6’6″ high flyer from Daytona Beach, where he was a high-stepping, baton-twirling majorette during football season after breaking his wrist as a star quarterback. He also had time to soar for the volleyball team.
Carter started for the Tar Heels as a freshman and lost that position to Ademola Okulaja, a much harder worker but far less of a talent. In Smith’s system, natural ability didn’t get you much unless you added effort and defense to the mix.
After considering a transfer, Carter stuck it out and committed himself to playing ball the Carolina Way. He became a college star but had yet to find out that what he learned had prepared him for something much more spectacular than reaching two Final Fours.
Carter was selected No. 5 in the 1998 draft by Golden State and then traded to Toronto for UNC teammate Antawn Jamison, who was the No. 4 pick. For the Raptors, Carter became an international star with his high-flying style of play.
He spent six seasons as Air Canada and five with the New Jersey Nets. Like a gem for the whole world to see, Vinsanity was also “Dr. Dunkenstein” for Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas, Memphis, Sacramento and Atlanta, mixing in a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney where he thrilled those down under with a memorable slam over a 7-footer.
One of six players in NBA history with 24,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, 2500 assists, 1000 steals and 1000 3-point field goals, Carter lands at ESPN. In a few years, he’ll swoop into the Hall of Fame.
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