The storied NBA career of Vince Carter is over. As announced by the Atlanta Hawks, Carter is staying true to his word and is hanging it up after his record-setting 22 seasons in the league.
It's official, the OG is hanging it up. Congratulations on a phenomenal career, @mrvincecarter15! #TrueToAtlanta https://t.co/zyAjeD3UTy
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) June 25, 2020
Carter’s NBA career began with the Toronto Raptors as he was drafted with the fifth-overall pick on the 1998 NBA Draft out of the University of North Carolina. Carter went onto win the Rookie of the Year award, with his high-energy style of play credited with bolstering interest in basketball in Canada.
Cementing his place in hoops history, Carter dazzled at the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest by putting on what’s regarded as the greatest performance in the contest’s history, defeating his cousin, teammate, and now-Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady in the competition.
Carter went on to leave the Raptors in favor of the New Jersey Nets, later making stops with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and finally the Atlanta Hawks, making eight all-star games in the process. Carter retires as the 19th leading scorer in NBA history with a tally of 25,728 points.
