Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Vince Carter
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Vince Carter made an impact.
Vince Carter, a former professional basketball player, is renowned for his remarkable 22-season NBA career, tied with LeBron James for the most in league history. Primarily a shooting guard and small forward, he was an eight-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA Team selection. Carter holds the distinction of being the only player to have played in four different decades in the NBA, showcasing his longevity and adaptability. In 2024, his contributions to the sport were formally recognized with his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
1995: Carter played in FIBA Under-19 World Cup
In 1995, Vince Carter played for the United States men's national under-19 team at the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Athens under head coach Kelvin Sampson. He tied for the team lead in blocks.
1997: North Carolina ACC Tournament Title
In 1997, Vince Carter helped North Carolina win the ACC men's basketball tournament title.
May 1998: Declared for the 1998 NBA draft
In May 1998, Vince Carter declared for the 1998 NBA draft after his junior year at North Carolina.
1998: Teammate with Tracy McGrady
Between 1998 and 2000, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady were teammates in Toronto, forming a formidable duo.
1998: Drafted by Golden State, Traded to Toronto
In 1998, Vince Carter was drafted by the Golden State Warriors and immediately traded to the Toronto Raptors.
1998: Selected in the NBA Draft
In 1998, Vince Carter was selected fifth overall in the NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, who then traded him to the Toronto Raptors.
1998: Carter establishes Embassy of Hope foundation
In 1998, upon being drafted into the NBA, Vince Carter established his charitable foundation, The Embassy of Hope.
February 1999: NBA Debut and Rookie of the Year
In February 1999, Vince Carter began playing in the NBA after the lockout and quickly became a fan favorite, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
1999: NBA Rookie of the Year
In 1999, Vince Carter won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award while playing for the Toronto Raptors.
1999: Carter signed with Puma
Prior to his first NBA season in 1999, Vince Carter signed a sponsorship deal with Puma, leading to the release of his first signature shoe, the Puma Vinsanity. However, Carter broke his contract with Puma prematurely.
August 2000: McGrady Leaves Raptors
In August 2000, Tracy McGrady left the Toronto Raptors in free agency to join the Orlando Magic, leaving Vince Carter as the franchise player.
2000: Carter plays in the Summer Olympics
During the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Vince Carter led the U.S. in scoring, averaging 14.8 points a game, and performed a memorable dunk over Frédéric Weis. The U.S. team won the gold medal that year.
2000: Dunk of Death at 2000 Summer Olympics
During the 2000 Summer Olympics, Vince Carter performed his famous "Dunk of Death" against France, which is considered one of the most iconic dunks of all time.
2000: First Playoff Appearance
In 2000, Vince Carter led the Toronto Raptors to their first-ever playoff appearance.
2000: Slam Dunk Contest Win and Olympic Gold Medal
In 2000, Vince Carter won the Slam Dunk Contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend and also won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics representing the United States, where he led the team in scoring.
2000: Carter signed with Nike
Prior to the 2000 Summer Olympics, Vince Carter signed with Nike, resulting in the debut and public release of his first signature Nike Shox shoe, the Nike Shox BB4 PE. Nike released five other signature Shox models bearing Carter's initials.
August 2001: Signed Contract Extension
In August 2001, Vince Carter signed a six-year contract extension worth as much as $94 million with the Toronto Raptors.
December 7, 2001: Carter's Performance Against the Denver Nuggets
On December 7, 2001, Vince Carter recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals against the Denver Nuggets, joining Charles Barkley as only the second player to achieve this since 1973.
2001: Career-High Season and Playoff Series vs. 76ers
In 2001, Vince Carter averaged a career-high 27.6 points per game and had a memorable playoff series against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. He scored 50 points in Game 3 and set an NBA playoff record for most three-point field goals made in one game. He missed a potential game-winning shot in Game 7.
2001: First Playoff Series Win
In 2001, Vince Carter led the Toronto Raptors to a 47-win season and their first-ever playoff series win.
2002: Injury and Playoff Defeat
In 2002, Vince Carter missed the final 22 games of the regular season due to injury and was unable to participate in the All-Star Game. The Raptors were defeated in the first round of the playoffs without him.
February 2003: Carter Gives Up All-Star Spot for Jordan
In February 2003, Vince Carter gave up his starting spot in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game to Michael Jordan, allowing Jordan to make his final start as an All-Star.
2003: Carter replaced Kobe Bryant in the FIBA Americas Tournament
In 2003, Vince Carter replaced Kobe Bryant on the USA roster for the FIBA Americas Tournament while Bryant was undergoing surgeries on his knee and shoulder.
December 2004: Traded to the New Jersey Nets
In December 2004, Vince Carter was traded from the Toronto Raptors to the New Jersey Nets.
December 17, 2004: Traded to New Jersey Nets
On December 17, 2004, Vince Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams, and two first-round draft picks.
2004: Carter declines Olympic spot
In 2004, Vince Carter was offered an Olympic spot after Kobe Bryant withdrew due to allegations of sexual assault, but Carter chose instead to take time off during the summer to rest and heal, as well as to get married.
April 15, 2005: First Game Back in Toronto
On April 15, 2005, Vince Carter's first game back in Toronto saw him heavily booed by Raptors fans, despite finishing with 39 points in a New Jersey victory.
November 7, 2005: Memorable dunk against Miami Heat
On November 7, 2005, Vince Carter executed a memorable dunk against the Miami Heat, over defensive player Alonzo Mourning.
December 23, 2005: NBA record for most free throws made in a quarter
On December 23, 2005, Vince Carter set an NBA record for the most free throws made in a quarter (4th quarter) with 16 against Miami, also tying his career-high of 51 points in the same game.
January 8, 2006: Game-Winning Shot in Toronto
On January 8, 2006, Vince Carter hit a long three-pointer with 0.1 seconds left to seal a 105–104 win against the Raptors in Toronto, which he considered one of his greatest shots ever.
September 2006: Carter visits Duquesne University basketball team
In September 2006, Vince Carter visited with the Duquesne University men's basketball team in Pittsburgh as a show of support after five of its players were shot.
2006: Named as a reserve to the 2007 NBA All-Star Game
During the 2006–07 season, Vince Carter was named as a reserve to the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, marking his eighth All-Star appearance.
2006: Named Eastern Conference All-Star in 2006
In 2006, Vince Carter was named an Eastern Conference All-Star. During the 2005–06 season, the Carter-Kidd duo co-led the Nets to 49 wins, an Atlantic Division title, and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. Carter helped lead the Nets to the second round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual NBA champions Miami Heat in five games, averaging 29.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 11 playoff games.
April 7, 2007: Triple-doubles with Jason Kidd
On April 7, 2007, in a 120–114 overtime win over the Washington Wizards, Vince Carter and Jason Kidd became the first teammates in over 18 years to record triple-doubles in the same game. Carter finished with 46 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists.
July 2007: Re-signed with the Nets
In July 2007, Vince Carter re-signed with the Nets to a four-year, $61.8 million contract.
2007: Named captain of the Nets
During the 2007–08 season, following Kidd's trade to the Mavericks, Carter became captain of the Nets.
2007: Florida Governor's Points of Light award
In 2007, Vince Carter received the Florida Governor's Points of Light award for his philanthropic work in his home state.
November 21, 2008: Game-Winning Alley-Oop Dunk
On November 21, 2008, Vince Carter hit a game-winning alley-oop dunk with 1.5 seconds left in overtime against the Raptors, securing a 129–127 victory.
February 3, 2009: Recorded fifth career triple-double
On February 3, 2009, Vince Carter recorded his fifth career triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 99–85 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
June 25, 2009: Traded to the Orlando Magic
On June 25, 2009, Vince Carter was traded to the Orlando Magic, along with Ryan Anderson, in exchange for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee.
February 8, 2010: Season-high 48 points
On February 8, 2010, Vince Carter scored a season-high 48 points, 34 in the second half, when the Magic rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat the New Orleans Hornets 123–117.
December 18, 2010: Acquired by the Phoenix Suns
On December 18, 2010, Vince Carter was acquired by the Phoenix Suns along with Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, and a first-round draft pick in 2011 in exchange for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Earl Clark.
January 17, 2011: Reached 20,000 career points
On January 17, 2011, Vince Carter recorded 29 points and 12 rebounds in a win over the New York Knicks, reaching 20,000 career points and becoming the 37th NBA player to reach that milestone.
December 9, 2011: Waived by the Phoenix Suns
On December 9, 2011, following the conclusion of the NBA lockout, Vince Carter was waived by the Phoenix Suns.
December 12, 2011: Signed with the Dallas Mavericks
On December 12, 2011, Vince Carter signed a three-year contract with the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks.
April 20, 2012: 1,500 3-pointers
On April 20, 2012, Vince Carter became the eighth player in NBA history with 1,500 3-pointers in a game against the Golden State Warriors.
February 13, 2013: Passed Larry Bird on NBA's career scoring list
On February 13, 2013, Vince Carter passed Larry Bird on the NBA's career scoring list, moving into 29th place, with 26 points in a win over the Sacramento Kings. He ended the night with 21,796 career points.
March 16, 2014: Passed 23,000 career points
On March 16, 2014, Vince Carter reached 23,010 career points, becoming the 27th NBA player to pass the 23,000-point mark in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
April 30, 2014: First 20-point game
On November 8, 2016, Carter scored 20 points against the Denver Nuggets and became the oldest player in the NBA to post a 20-point game since Vince carter's last 20-point game since April 30, 2014
July 12, 2014: Signed with the Memphis Grizzlies
On July 12, 2014, Vince Carter signed a multi-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.
November 13, 2014: Game-winning alley-oop assist
On November 13, 2014, Vince Carter made a game-winning alley-oop assist from the sideline to teammate Courtney Lee at the buzzer to win the game 111–110 over the Sacramento Kings.
November 19, 2014: Tribute video during Raptors-Grizzlies game
On November 19, 2014, the Raptors paid tribute to Vince Carter with a video montage during the first quarter of the Raptors–Grizzlies game as part of their 20th-anniversary celebration. Despite initial booing, Carter received a standing ovation from the crowd, leading to an emotional reaction from him.
December 17, 2014: Scored season-high 18 points
On December 17, 2014, Vince Carter scored a season-high 18 points in a triple overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs. Carter also moved into 25th in all-time NBA scoring during the game, passing Robert Parish (23,334).
2014: Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award for the 2015–16 season
Vince Carter was awarded with the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award for the 2015–16 season, which recognizes the best teammate based on selfless play, leadership, and commitment.
February 24, 2016: Passed Charles Barkley in career points scored
On February 24, 2016, Vince Carter passed Charles Barkley for 24th in career points scored, with nine points scored against the Los Angeles Lakers.
November 1, 2016: Played in 1,278th NBA game
On November 1, 2016, Vince Carter played in his 1,278th NBA game, tying him with A.C. Green for 25th on the NBA's career list, and also became the 24th player in NBA history to surpass 24,000 career points.
July 10, 2017: Carter signed with the Sacramento Kings
On July 10, 2017, Vince Carter signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Sacramento Kings.
August 24, 2018: Carter signed with the Atlanta Hawks
On August 24, 2018, Vince Carter signed with the Atlanta Hawks.
October 17, 2018: Carter debuts with the Hawks
On October 17, 2018, Vince Carter debuted for the Atlanta Hawks, scoring 12 points in a loss to the New York Knicks and becoming the second oldest player in NBA history to start a season opener.
September 20, 2019: Carter re-signed with the Hawks
On September 20, 2019, Vince Carter re-signed with the Atlanta Hawks.
October 24, 2019: Carter's 22nd season begins
On October 24, 2019, Vince Carter played his first game of the season, officially marking his 22nd season in the NBA.
March 11, 2020: Carter's final NBA game
On March 11, 2020, Vince Carter played his final NBA game against the New York Knicks, making a three-pointer in the final seconds. The NBA suspended the season that day due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 25, 2020: Carter announces retirement
On June 25, 2020, Vince Carter officially announced his retirement from the NBA at the age of 43.
September 17, 2020: Carter joins ESPN as an analyst
On September 17, 2020, Vince Carter signed a multi-year contract with ESPN to serve as an NBA and college basketball analyst.
July 2023: ESPN does not renew Carter's contract
In July 2023, it was reported that ESPN would not renew Vince Carter's contract during a series of layoffs for the network.
October 24, 2023: Carter joins YES Network as analyst
On October 24, 2023, Vince Carter joined YES Network as a part-time analyst for Brooklyn Nets games.
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