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Highlights From Vince Carter’s Raptors-Heavy HOF Enshrinement

Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductee Vince Carter speaks alongside presenters Julius Erving (1993) and Tracy McGrady (2017)

On Sunday, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame got a little bit bigger, as a few legendary figures were officially enshrined in Springfield. It’s amazing that, even when standing alongside them, Vince Carter was the most popular player to receive their magnum opus.

There isn’t a single NBA fan who hasn’t heard of Carter. Whether he’s known to them as ‘Vinsanity,’ ‘Half Man/Half Amazing,’ or just ‘Vince Carter,’ his name rings bells. He was unable to win an NBA championship in his outstanding career. However, the former fifth overall pick won the 1999 Rookie of the Year award and the heart of Canada.

In his second season, he won the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest in spectacular fashion. He led the Raptors to their first playoff appearance in franchise history, taking them as far as the second round. He was named to eight consecutive All-Star Games (the first five with Toronto).

Highlights From Vince Carter’s Raptors-Heavy HOF Enshrinement

During his Hall of Fame enshrinement, Carter thanked the Raptors organization, where he spent his first six-plus seasons. He also confirmed that he would enter the Hall of Fame as a member of the Raptors. For a player who suited up for seven teams after leaving Toronto, this was far from a guarantee.

Carter also thanked his cousin, fellow Hall of Fame wing Tracy McGrady.

After being drafted, Carter played alongside McGrady with the Raptors for two seasons. Interestingly, Carter says that McGrady promised to get the Raptors to draft him. McGrady, as many know, got off to a slower start than Carter. Nonetheless, he was a top-10 pick. He just might have had enough juice to nudge former Raptors general manager Glen Grunwald in his cousin’s direction.

In any case, family obviously means a lot to Carter. He even had one of those humorous Christmas dinner exchanges with McGrady after saying he played football growing up.

The proud father of three (two daughters and one son) also took time to include his grandparents in his speech.

Julius ‘Dr. J’ Erving Speaks

If the tears Carter shed for his late grandmother (Peggy Green) didn’t take fans back to the days when he was just a kid in Florida, perhaps him admitting that he had only gotten the opportunity to meet his idol did. During his speech, he spoke about calling up Hall of Fame forward Julius Erving, who accepted the invitation to be one of his presenters.

Like Carter, Erving played for the Nets for multiple seasons. Even more importantly, there were plenty of similarities in their game, from the aerial acrobatics to the all-around production. In fact, before the Hall of Fame ceremony began, Erving told Sportsnet’s Michael Grange that Carter “could do things maybe above and beyond what the great forwards in the history of the NBA did.”

More Honors Are On The Way

As his speech came to a close, Carter repeated the words that he will now be associated with forever: “Hall of Famer.”

As one of the most memorable and recognizable players to have graced the hardwood, all that can be said is the honor is well-deserved.

Now, he can rest on his laurels while he waits for the Raptors and Nets to lift his jersey into the rafters, which will happen this season.

Quenton S Albertie

Quenton S Albertie

Quenton Albertie, a native of Ft. Hood, TX, is a credentialed media member with work featured on SLAM Magazine, Sports Illustrated, USA TODAY and other major publications. Currently residing in Atlanta, GA, Albertie’s favorite teams are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Broncos.

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