8 Dec 2000: Vince Carter #15 of the Toronto Raptors looks on from the court during the game against the Golden State Warriors at The Arena in Oakland, California. The Raptors defeated the Warriors 108-98. .Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /AllsportWhen NBA legend Vince Carter announced that the 2019-20 season would be his last, he probably thought he’d get the chance for a sendoff at some point late in the season. But with the NBA suspending the season, that may not be in the cards.
Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Carter called Wednesday’s abrupt suspension of the season “a weird night.” He expressed his thanks to everyone who was a part of his 22-year NBA career. While he was uncertain if this really is the end for him, he offered his “love and support for all these years.”
The NBA suspended the 2019-20 season until further notice after a Utah Jazz player was diagnosed with the coronavirus prior to a game. There are currently two known players who have been diagnosed with the dangerous virus.
As a result, Vince Carter’s potentially last game ends with nowhere near the fanfare his stellar career deserves.
Such a weird night but I am truly thankful for each and every person during this 22yr journey.
If this is really it, I thank everyone for your love and support for all these years.
B E Z✌🏽— Vince Carter (@mrvincecarter15) March 12, 2020
Over a 22-year career, Carter made eight All-Star Games, two All-NBA teams, and earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1999. In 2000, Carter won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, pulling off a 360° windmill, a between the legs bounce dunk, and an elbow-in-the-rim dunk to take the title.
At the international level, Carter won a gold medal for the United States at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, leading the team in scoring along the way.
The basketball world is going to miss Vince Carter. If we really have seen the last of him on the court, it’s a shame it had to end like this.
