Atlanta Hawks forward Vince Carter has announced his retirement from the NBA after 22 years in the league. The longtime NBA superstar did so in his own podcast: Wingin' It as the Hawks were eliminated from further contention once the league decided to restart the season with 22 teams in Orlando.
The Florida native played through four decades in the NBA, something that had never been done in the league before.
His career started with an unforeseen twist, selected fifth overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 1998 NBA Draft, only to get traded minutes later for his North Carolina teammate Antawn Jamison, who was drafted by the Toronto Raptors a spot ahead.
As it turns out, going up north was the right choice for Carter, who soon earned the nickname “Half-Man, Half-Amazing” for his show-stopping dunks and acts of airborne defiance.
He won the Slam Dunk Contest title in 2000, upsetting some of the best dunkers of his era in one of the most memorable contests in league history.
He quickly became a star to watch out for in the East and was traded to the New Jersey Nets during the 2004-05 season after six seasons in Toronto. He became “Vinsanity” at that point of his career, teaming up with Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and Kenyon Martin to complete one of the most fun up-and-down teams of the 2000s.
Carter had stints with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and the Dallas Mavericks, in which he reunited with his former teammate Kidd.
He also spent three years with the Memphis Grizzlies, a year with the Sacramento Kings and his last two seasons with the Hawks — as the 43-year-old brought his career to a close.
Carter averaged 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, numbers that are largely altered due to his longevity in the league.
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