Vince Carter of the Sacramento Kings has turned into the type of veteran player that every NBA locker room needs.
Early in his career, Carter had the reputation of just being a high-fly act. He had to work hard to earn the respect of others as a player who can do it all — shoot 3s, pass well, make the correct reads on the floor, etc.
At age 41 in this 20th season, he has finally done just that. And now that the end of his career is closing in — he reportedly plans to play one more year — he is using his influence to give some of the young players on the Kings some much-needed advice. He has focused on how De’Aaron Fox and Frank Mason III attack the basket and has given them tips on how to reduce “reckless” drives in order to not put so much stress on their bodies, per Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
“Learning how to fall is just as important as strengthening your body,” he said. “Understanding when you go off one foot, what could happen against particular guys. When you go off two feet, you are protecting yourself. I say this now, but when I was younger, I was reckless, too. I didn’t care. That’s why all those injuries were happening to me, because I kept going to the rim, hitting the floor hard. Over the course of 82 games, it wears on you. You’re not as fast. These guys have to understand that with more minutes, the more punishment you have to learn to absorb. But they are both getting better.”
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