Vince Carter discusses complicated legacy with Toronto Raptors

Vince Carter hopes Toronto Raptors fans can embrace his complicated legacy with the team.

Carter spoke about family, legacy, anger, and ultimately, love in an emotional news conference on Saturday ahead of his jersey being retired by the Raptors in a 20-minute ceremony during the intermission of Toronto’s game with the Sacramento Kings.

He reflected on his tumultuous relationship with the Raptors’ fan base during the news conference and acknowledged that the decision to make him the first player in team history to have his jersey retired was once inconceivable. 

“That Carter 15 has been a lot of emotions for all of us,” he said on the concourse of Scotiabank Arena. “Your emotion being here is a proud moment or a cool moment or a wowing moment, but it’s still a moment and a feeling.

“I say all those feelings are splattered on that Carter 15 tonight and it’s going to sit in that arena — forever.”

Carter played the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Raptors before an acrimonious split with team management and fans in his seventh campaign led to him being traded midseason to the then-New Jersey Nets on Dec. 17, 2004. He said on Saturday that for a long time he never thought he’d be welcomed back by Toronto basketball fans.

“Have you seen me lately? I really don’t know what else to say. I feel like my emotions speak louder than words. It tells a story,” said Carter when asked about how it felt to be recognized by the Raptors after their fans roundly booed him for nearly a decade after the trade.

“It’s just appreciation for where we were, where we were getting to, and where we are now, and now you wrap that up with a bow, you know what I’m saying?

“Nothing else needs to be said if you can’t really understand that. I mean, walking around with deaf ears and blind eyes.”

The 47-year-old Carter said that a game in 2014, when he was a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, was a turning point in his relationship with Toronto fans. The Raptors were celebrating their 20th anniversary and honoured every former player that came through Scotiabank Arena — even Carter — with a highlight-reel video.

Carter was booed when he was introduced that night, cheered during the video, and then booed when he checked back into the game, but it made him realize that the old wounds might be healing.

“It’s something about seeing those highlights in this building, because that’s where it was created,” said Carter. “I was asked if I heard, what did I hear? How did I feel? What did I see? I didn’t see anything. I didn’t hear anything. I was in my bubble. 

“I think, being honest, it was a pleasant surprise hearing the cheers. It could have been an arena of boos, and I would have still had the same feeling, honestly, because I’d never gotten that opportunity to see a video (of my highlights) in this building.”

Carter retired from professional basketball in 2020 after 22 years in the NBA and was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Oct. 13.

He believes that his passion for basketball is what drew Raptors fans to him, but also why they turned on him after he left.

“I just wanted to play. I just loved to hoop. I was that guy always walking around with a little bop, because I had music in my mind, wanting to fly around the arenas and dunk on people,” said Carter. “Which is why people fell in love, which is why I understand why people were sad and had their feelings, because they gravitated to that they enjoyed it. 

“It was something they can relate to. This guy seems normal to us because he’s having fun. He loves to play, and I think that’s where the love came from. I understand that’s possibly where the frustration came from, because that guy that we’re starting to like is now moving on.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2024.