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Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Vince Carter of the Atlanta Hawks, are the considered the elder statesmen of the NBA. They shared why they still play the game of basketball despite their age.
Per NBA on ESPN, Carter and Nowitzki explained briefly why they still suit up night in and night out, dribble, pass, and shoot the rock. And it all boils down to one thing: the love the game of basketball.
"I still love the game. … It's not for the money." —@mrvincecarter15
"I love the competition, still love the grind of it." —@swish41The only 2 active NBA players that were drafted in the 90s … still here, for the love of the game. pic.twitter.com/MwTm0efAfn
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 24, 2018
Carter and Nowitzki were both part of the 1998 NBA Draft class. Carter was the fifth overall selection while Nowitzki was the 9th. Nowitzki has managed to stay for one franchise since day one, and it seems that he'll retire as a Maverick. Carter, for his part, spent a good chunk of his career with the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets before jumping from team to team.
Though both trekked different paths, there is no doubt about the impact and influence they made when they were at the peak of their careers. Nowitzki was among the first big men with a smooth stroke from the outside. When he was in his prime, the term ‘stretch four' wasn't being tossed around as it is at present. Carter, meanwhile, is known as an NBA dunking legend — perhaps the greatest dunker of all time. And during his heyday, he was also one of the league's top offensive gunners.
Carter is 41. Nowitzki is 40. They haven't confirmed if this will be their last season as a professional basketball player. But if they sign a contract for another year or two in the NBA, don't ask why they did it.
