TORONTO – Vince Carter hoped Toronto Raptors fans would come to terms with his complicated legacy with the team during his jersey retirement ceremony.
They didn’t disappoint him.
All 19,800 fans at Scotiabank Arena were on their feet throughout the 20-minute ceremony Saturday night, during a break in the game between Toronto and the Sacramento Kings. Carter addressed the fans in the stadium and those watching at home directly during a brief speech before a purple banner was raised to the rafters of the stadium.
“If that jersey goes up soon, it’s not just Carter 15 going up, it’s all of us going up.” Carter said to loud cheers. “No matter how you look at it, the memories accumulated over the past 6 years come up tonight.
“So I hope and pray that we enjoy the permanent retirement of our uniforms.”
Carter joined his family and former teammates at the courthouse event hosted by TV personality Matt Devlin. Former Raptors Jerome Williams, Dee Brown, Kevin Williams, Muggsy Bogues, Antonio Davis, Alvin Williams, Morris Peterson, Charles Oakley and Tracy McGrady (Carter’s cousin and fellow Hall of Famer) all watched from chairs placed on the floor. I saw it.
Video featuring Alvin Williams, former Raptors general manager Glen Grunwald, Kings forward DeMar DeRozan, Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry, former Toronto play-by-play man Chuck Swirsky, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson, Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia and Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. (Steph Curry), Toronto All-Star Scottie Barnes, Carter’s mother, wife, children, and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Chairman Larry Tanenbaum at the event to celebrate Carter. I attended the beginning of the event.
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Raptors team president Masai Ujiri thrilled the sold-out crowd with a passionate speech introducing Carter.
“He is a legend. He’s an icon. He is half human and half amazing,” Ujiri said. “He’s the Vince Carter effect, right? yes. He builds our community. He helped us put Toronto on the map.
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“He taught us how to fly, and he taught those who didn’t know how to fly how to dream of flying.”
Carter thanked several Raptors front office members, rap superstar Drake, his family and former teammates before turning his attention to the fans.
“It’s an unbelievable day like nothing we’ve ever experienced here in basketball,” Carter said. “I’m honored to finally share this moment with you.”
It was a cathartic experience after Carter left Toronto after six-plus seasons and a souring relationship with the team and fan base.
Carter was acquired by Toronto in a draft night trade in 1998, and he led the team to their first three playoff appearances between 2000 and 2002. Grunwald and the entire coaching staff were fired in the 2004 offseason, and Carter experienced friction with the new GM. Rob Babcock was traded mid-season to the then-New Jersey Nets on December 17, 2004.
Many fans felt that Carter had quit the team and forced a trade, and booed him when he returned to Toronto with the Nets. He said at a press conference before the awards ceremony that he never thought he would be welcomed by longtime Raptors fans.
“Have you seen me lately? I really don’t know what more to say. I think my feelings speak louder than words. It tells the story.” Carter said when asked how it felt to receive recognition from the Raptors after fans booed him for nearly a decade after the trade.
“It’s just an appreciation of where we’ve been, where we’re going and where we are now. And now we end it with a greeting. Do you know what I’m talking about?
“If you really don’t understand it, there’s no need to say anything more. I mean, walking around deaf and blind.”
Carter, 47, said a 2014 game with the Memphis Grizzlies marked a turning point in his relationship with Toronto fans. The Raptors celebrated their 20th anniversary and paid tribute to all the former players who came through Scotiabank Arena, even Carter, with a highlight video.
Carter was booed that night when he was introduced, cheered during the video, and booed when he reconnected to the game, but it made him realize that old wounds might be healing.
“Standing right here, watching that video, tears in my eyes, my heart is filled with joy to finally share that moment with you,” Carter said in his speech. “It’s what I’ve always wanted, the feeling I want all of us to have, and it’s made us who we are today.”
Carter retired from professional basketball in 2020 after 22 years in the NBA, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on October 13.
He believes his passion for basketball is what drew Raptors fans to him and why they turned on him after he left.
“I just wanted to play. I just loved hoops. I was the kind of guy who always walked around with a little bob because I had music in my heart and I wanted to fly around the stadium and dunk on people,” Carter said in a press conference. “This is why people fall in love, and this is why I understand why people feel sad and have emotions, because they are drawn to the idea of enjoying it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
