Growing up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Kyrie Irving had always idolized the local New Jersey Nets. At the time, the Nets star player was Vince Carter. Fast forward today and Irving is now a member of the (now Brooklyn) Nets and Carter, at nearly 43 years old, is still in the league.
In his first game back from injuries in 26 contests, Irving's Nets had the chance to take on Carter's Atlanta Hawks for the final time this season.
Clearly outmatched, the Nets would dominate on their way to a 22-point victory. Irving would drop 21 points in just 20 minutes and Carter would pour in eight points and two rebounds off the bench for Atlanta.
In his prime, Vinsanity was one of the best and most electric players in the NBA. With that said, it makes sense why Carter was such a big role model for a young Irving. After the game Sunday, Irving explained just that.
“I just was a kid in my room watching VC and the New Jersey Nets. Like I said, I'm a die hard New Jersey Nets fan before they came to Brooklyn,” Irving said. “That was a kid's dream to go see Vince Carter and Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets play. But specifically, Vince Carter used to do some amazing things. It was incrediible as a kid to watch. I don't want to take it for granted how much he's given up his life, sacrificing his time with his family and hsi friends to be playing basketball for this long.”
Carter, the oldest active player in the NBA, will turn 43 this month. The only player in league history to play in four different decades, Carter announced this past summer that this season will be his last.
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