Vince Carter's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Vince Carter. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

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.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1995: McDonald's All-American

In 1995, Vince Carter was named a McDonald's All-American during his high school career.

1997: North Carolina ACC Tournament Title

In 1997, Vince Carter helped North Carolina win the ACC men's basketball tournament title.

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.

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: 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: All-NBA Second Team Selection

In the 2000-01 NBA season, Vince Carter was named to the All-NBA Second Team.

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.

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.

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.

February 3, 2007: Statue of Carter unveiled at Mainland High School

On February 3, 2007, a statue of Vince Carter was unveiled at Mainland High School.

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.

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.

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.

January 31, 2012: Designated One of 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans

On January 31, 2012, Vince Carter was recognized as one of the 35 greatest McDonald's All-Americans.

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

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.

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.

2016: Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award

In 2016, Vince Carter received the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.

August 18, 2017: Carter named Most Influential Veteran

On August 18, 2017, Vince Carter was named the Most Influential Veteran by the NBA Players Association during the Players Voice Awards.

December 27, 2017: Carter scores season-high against Cavaliers

On December 27, 2017, Vince Carter scored a season-high 24 points in a 109–95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. This marked the first time in NBA history that a 40-plus-year-old reserve scored at least 20 points in a game.

January 28, 2018: Carter and Ginóbili make NBA history

On January 28, 2018, Vince Carter and Manu Ginóbili made NBA history in a game against the San Antonio Spurs. Carter scored 21 points and Ginóbili scored 15, marking the first time in NBA history where two players over the age of 40 each scored at least 15 points in the same game.

March 19, 2018: Carter passes Patrick Ewing on NBA's career scoring list

On March 19, 2018, Vince Carter moved past Patrick Ewing into 22nd place on the NBA's career scoring list during a game against the Detroit Pistons, where he scored seven points.

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.

February 7, 2019: Carter passes Jerry West on NBA's all-time scoring list

On February 7, 2019, Vince Carter passed Jerry West for 21st on the NBA's all-time scoring list during a game against the Toronto Raptors.

March 1, 2019: Carter plays 45 minutes at 42 years old

On March 1, 2019, at 42 years old, Vince Carter became the oldest player in NBA history to play at least 45 minutes in a game, during a quadruple-overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls.

December 10, 2019: Carter plays his 1,500th game

On December 10, 2019, Vince Carter became the fifth player in NBA history to play at least 1,500 games.

January 4, 2020: Carter plays in four different decades

On January 4, 2020, during a win over the Indiana Pacers, Vince Carter became the only player in NBA history to have played in four different decades.

January 22, 2020: Carter moves past Alex English on NBA all-time scoring list

On January 22, 2020, Vince Carter moved past Alex English for 19th on the NBA all-time scoring list.

January 31, 2020: Carter moves to 3rd in all-time NBA games played

On January 31, 2020, Vince Carter moved up to 3rd place in all-time NBA games played with 1,523, passing Dirk Nowitzki in the process.

2023: Inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame

In 2023, Vince Carter was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.

November 2, 2024: Raptors retire Carter's jersey

On November 2, 2024, Vince Carter's jersey was retired by the Raptors, making him the first Raptors player to have his jersey retired by the franchise.