(Toronto) Former Toronto Raptors star Vince Carter will have his number 15 retired by the team this season, according to multiple media reports.
The 47-year-old Basketball Hall of Famer is expected to attend a retirement ceremony in Toronto on Nov. 2, becoming the first Raptors player to receive the honor.
Carter was the Raptors’ first superstar and is credited with elevating the team’s profile while generating enthusiasm for basketball across Canada.
But the decision to retire his jersey is polarizing. Some fans and members of the local media still remember his acrimonious departure from the team in December 2004.
Carter was traded to the New Jersey (now Brooklyn) Nets for a meager return early in the 2004–05 season, with some claiming he “abandoned” the team.
Carter averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game in 403 games with the Raptors.
During his time in Toronto, Carter was recognized for his spectacular dunk. He also won the competition of dunk of the NBA in 2000, thanks to a memorable performance.
He was selected to the NBA All-Star Game eight times, from 2000 to 2007, but even when his explosiveness left him, he managed to find a place as a veteran.
Carter played 22 seasons in the NBA, retiring after the 2019-20 season with the Atlanta Hawks. He is the only player in NBA history to have played in four different decades.
Carter made his debut with the Raptors in 1998, after being traded to the Raptors in that year’s draft. He had previously been selected fifth overall by the Golden State Warriors.
He also played for the Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. Carter finished with averages of 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and one steal in 1,541 NBA games.
Carter will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame next month and his number will be retired by the Nets in January.