In recent months, the Toronto Raptors have been showing their appreciation for their former superstar, Vince Carter. In October, Carter was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The Raptors announced the decision to retire Carter's jersey. Most recently, the Raptors unveiled a huge mural titled "Air Canada" in Toronto just outside Scotiabank Arena to celebrate Carter.
The mural unveiling coincides with Vince Carter's jersey retirement night, which is scheduled for tonight, Saturday, November 2.
Fans reacted on social media with overwhelmingly positive reviews.
One fan tweeted, "🏀 LEGEND."
Another fan paid extra tribute to Carter's mother, "Glad his mum around for all this. We remember seeing her in the stands for games."
With the Los Angeles Lakers in Toronto on Friday night, LeBron James took a moment to discuss the significance of Carter on the Raptors and speak on the upcoming jersey retirement.
"[Carter's jersey retirement] makes all the sense in the world, with what he's done for this franchise, the impact that he had in this community, the way he changed how basketball is looked at in Canada. Well deserved," James told reporters following the Lakers' win, via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.
"He has so many [excellent moments]. The 50-point game versus the Sixers in the postseason. The two-hand windmill backwards dunk versus Indiana on Chris Mullin and Rik Smits. The lob in preseason down at University of North Carolina, got that windmill. I mean, there's a ton. There's too many to name. And obviously, the dunk contest. When he shut down the dunk contest and he gave the 'it's over' signal," James recalled.
It's been a long healing process for Carter and the Raptors. He didn't part on good terms and there was a long-standing beef between Carter and the franchise. It seems to have finally healed after Carter's retirement.
"I just didn't understand it," Carter said, "and I thought it all through. I had a conversation with my agents and the organization. So because my conversation was, they were ready to transition into a new guy, Chris Bosh, I said, 'If you guys don't need me that's fine.' But one thing I wasn't going to be is a locker room problem, and I think that's what they were looking for. That's not my style, particularly after just telling you, like, wanting to help other guys and drop gems on them...It's not me. It's like, locker room problem? No, no, no, no. More so I'm like, 'I want to play ball, that's it. That's it.'"
The eight-time All-Star and 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year played 22 seasons in the NBA. He is the only NBA player to play in four different decades.