As part of a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Atlanta Hawks forward Vince Carter recanted a conversation he shared with Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant prior to his passing in January.
Carter burst onto the NBA scene in 1998. The Florida native was the 5th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors, but he was traded to Toronto for Antawn Jamison, who was the fourth overall pick and Carter's teammate at the University of North Carolina.
With the Raptors, Carter grew into a high-flying dunk master. His jams became the stuff of legend. No matter who stood in his way, Vince had the ability to throw it down with ferocity. And thus, the era of “Vinsanity” was born in Toronto.
Incredibly, Carter is now playing in his 22nd season of NBA service. He's thought about retirement several times, but he keeps coming back for more. An iron man through and through, he is the only player in league history to have played in four different decades.
NBA players often struggle with the thought of retirement, but Bryant offered some comforting words to Carter during an on-court conversation following Bryant's retirement from the Lakers in 2016:
“You're going to love it. Trust me,” Kobe said to Carter in their discussion, via Sports Illustrated. “We'll talk about it some more. I'll tell you how I handle it. I took the steps into being the happiest I've ever been.”
Carter, now 42 years of age, says the conversation put his mind at ease. Prior to the talk, he struggled to even mutter the word.
“After that conversation, I was really able to say retirement with confidence because of the conversation I briefly had with him on court.”
The NBA decided to suspend the 2019-20 regular season back in March due to ongoing concerns with the cornavirus pandemic. At this point, it's not clear when (or if) play might resume. For Carter, in particular, this is an unfortunate circumstance, as it could lead to an unceremonious end to his career.
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