The Toronto Raptors have announced that they will retire Vince Carter’s No. 15 jersey on November 2nd when they host the Sacramento Kings. Carter, who is set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next month, spent his first seven years in the NBA with the Raptors after being selected fifth overall in the 1998 NBA Draft. This will be the first jersey retirement for the Raptors and it coincides with their 30th anniversary celebration during the upcoming season.
The Raptors struggled in their early years as an expansion team, but everything changed when they acquired Carter from the Golden State Warriors on draft night. He quickly made an impact, earning Rookie of the Year honors and leading Toronto to its first playoff appearance in franchise history by his second year. Carter became a regular All-Star during his time with the Raptors and led them to three playoff appearances, including one trip to the second round.
Carter’s time in Toronto was marked by his electrifying athleticism and jaw-dropping dunks, earning him the nickname “Air Canada.” His performance in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest is still considered one of the best ever.
However, Carter’s tenure with Toronto ended on a sour note as he grew unhappy with management and requested a trade. This led to some animosity from fans, but over time wounds healed and he was welcomed back by Raptors fans during their 20th anniversary celebration.
While there were differing opinions within Toronto’s organization about who should be honored first with a jersey retirement (some believed Kyle Lowry should have been first due to leading them to their first championship), it made sense for Carter given his impending Hall of Fame induction.
In addition to having his jersey retired by Toronto, Carter will also receive that honor from another team this season -the Brooklyn Nets- on January 25th following a game against Miami Heat.
