Currently the oldest player in the NBA at 41-years-old, Vince Carter is still more than capable of holding his own and he knows it.
Despite a reduced role with the Sacramento Kings this season, Carter has still proven to be valuable as a shooter and more importantly as a mentor for their young roster. In a recent sit-down with ESPN’s Marc Spears, Carter said he plans to return for at least one more season with retirement rumors circulating:
I feel great. Sometimes your mind can play tricks on you. When you know it’s the end of the season, you tend to let go of the rope. I just try to stick to my routines and my preparation into our last game. I feel great and I feel good, and it always is a testament to my summer regimen and what I do during the season as far as just keeping up with what I need to do to stay ready to play each and every night.
I plan on coming back next season. I plan on coming back one more season. I’m almost 90 percent sure that’s it after next season. … You kind of go through the season, especially when the end is near, and you say, ‘Hey, how do I feel?’ The summertime kind of dictates it all.
Vince Carter did acknowledge that last season would more than likely be his last. At his age, retirement has been an option for Carter the previous handful of years but the veteran continues to come back and it appears the same will be said for this offseason.
With a handful of young wings such as Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Justin Jackson, Carter’s wisdom and experience should help them continue growing. Carter had said earlier as well he hopes to come back for one last season and seems to be sticking by it.
Carter is currently averaging 5.3 points in slightly less than 18 minutes per game through his 57 appearances this season and is slated to be a free agent this summer.
