When Dwight Powell was growing up in Toronto, one of the hometown NBA players he admired greatly was Vince Carter.
At the time, Carter was the superstar of all superstars for the Toronto Raptors. And he was dazzling the home fans with an array of unimaginable dunks and a basket full of high-wire acts that seemed to defy gravity.
“I don’t even know how to describe it in words in terms of what kind of a legend he was in the city (of Toronto) or is in the city,” said Powell, the Mavericks’ backup big man. “Growing up, especially my generation, he was one of those guys who was at the forefront of all of our basketball dreams.
“Especially the way he played and being in Toronto and his path leading throughout his whole career, we all followed him.”
Carter played for the Raptors from 1998-2004 – he still holds several of the franchise records – and five of his eight All-Star appearances came while he was playing in Toronto. On Saturday, the 6-6 guard/forward became the first player – the Raptors were an expansion team beginning in the 1995-96 season — in franchise history to have his jersey, No. 15, retired during an emotional halftime ceremony against the Sacramento Kings.
Jason Kidd was a teammate of Carter’s with the New Jersey Nets from 2004-08, and again with the Mavs during the 2011-12 season. Now the Mavs’ coach, Kidd saw firsthand the damage Carter could do on the court.
“His ability as a competitor, he’s a winner, he loves the moment, he wasn’t scared,” Kidd said. “As a teammate I loved to play with him. I hated to play against him.
“I thought he did a great job for Toronto when he was there, and also with the other seven-eight (teams).”
Carter, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame two months ago, played for eight teams during his stellar 22-year career, which ended when he retired following the 2019-20 season. In addition to other aspects of his game, Carter was known as one of the best dunkers in the history of the NBA and took dunking to greater heights when he captured the Slam Dunk contest in Oakland in 2000 during All-Star weekend.
“You talk about Vince and his impact on the game, he plays the game the right way,” Kidd said. “Everyone will talk about the dunk contest in Oakland at that All-Star game, because there were things that we hadn’t seen up until that point.”
Affectionately known as Vinsanity and also Half Man, Half Amazing, Carter played for the Mavs from 2011-14, and produced one of the more memorable moments in
Mavs history. During Game 3 of a 2014 first-round playoff series against San Antonio, Carter – on his tippy-toes and near the out of bounds line – drained a dramatic three-pointer as time expired to give the No.-8 seeded Mavs an exhilarating 109-108 win over the No. 1-seeded Spurs.
“As a mentor I thought he was really good at some of the places he was at, and those younger players benefited from Vince being on those teams,” Kidd said. “Playing with Vince in New Jersey it’s a great honor for him to get his jersey retired in Toronto, and next will be in Brooklyn.”
Carter was chosen by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft –four slots ahead of former Mavs’ 14-time All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki. But he was traded on draft night to the Raptors for the No. 4 overall pick – Antawn Jamison – and quickly became a fan favorite in Canada.
“He was one of those guys who was beyond special,” Powell said. “It’s hard to even put into words what kind of impact he had on all of us 
in terms of our love for the game and what it would be like, and pushing us to want to reach for our dreams in terms of making the league ourselves.
“Even though he’s not technically Canadian, we embraced him as if he was and we still look at him as if he’s one of ours. He’s definitely a huge part of our basketball culture.”
BRIEFLY: Before Sunday’s 108-85 win over the Orlando Magic, coach Jason Kidd gave an update on forward Maxi Kleber, who has missed the past four games with a right hamstring strain. “He’s spot-shooting and he’s moving now, so he’s trending in the right direction,” Kidd said. “We never wish an injury on anyone — even the opponent. We love to have him, but it gives other guys the opportunity to step up.” . . . In Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets, Mavs forward Klay Thompson became the sixth player in NBA with at least 2,500 made three-pointers. “When you talk about Klay, he’s one of the best shooters of all time,” Kidd said. “Congrats to him. I think just his work ethic, his being a pro at the high level and being able to do that on a consistent basis, it’s not easy as much as it does look like it’s easy. He makes it look easy. But that’s a big-time achievement and a future hall of famer.”
X: @DwainPrice
Share and comment