With a moment as uniquely special as a jersey retirement, the first in franchise history no less, it’s hard to predict how anyone would react. Just ask Vince Carter.
When the Hall of Famer stepped onto the Scotiabank Arena floor on Nov. 2, during a ceremony for his No. 15 going in the rafters, his reaction not only seemed off the cuff, but one filled with plenty of emotion.
On his podcast The VC Show, Carter reflected on the moment at halftime between the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings, and what he was going through as a roaring crowd of fans embraced him.
“I walked into the middle of the court, and it all came out,” said the franchise’s points-per-game leader all-time.
Carter spent his first six seasons with the Raptors, earning Rookie of the Year honours and making five All-Star teams. However, he was unceremoniously traded from Toronto to the New Jersey Nets mid-way through the 2004-05 season for pennies on the dollar.
He went on to play another 15 seasons, making three more All-Star teams and becoming the first player in NBA history to have a career span across four separate decades. And after all that time, his journey brought him back to a moment he’d waited for since leaving the franchise two decades ago.
“All the emotions, all the things I wanted to feel for 20 years, finally just poured out all at once.”
His reaction was so emphatic it quickly caught attention online and before the ceremony was over, “Half man, half amazing,” had become a meme.
And he saw it coming too.
“That was just my body taking over, feelings taking over … allowing myself to live, feel, hear, experience and embrace that moment, which became a meme,” said Carter.
“I kind of said it to myself when I was sitting there, I put my head down and said ‘Man, you’re about to be all over the internet.'”
Kudos to the 22-year NBA veteran though as he wasn’t bothered by any of the attention because, to him, the moment was that special.
In fact, Carter described the ceremony as “One of the greatest feelings ever. I think I would put that slightly above (making the) Hall of Fame.
“That’s how great that moment felt, and if I’m a meme because of that moment … I’m good with it. I see it and I laugh, because there are some good ones out there.”
Meanwhile, the Raptors, with Carter’s banner hanger from the rafters, return to action on Thursday as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves. And while his ceremony is over, the team continues to celebrate Vinsanity throughout its 30th anniversary season.
Toronto will unveil its latest City Edition uniform against Minnesota, with it being directly tied to Carter’s legacy with the franchise. The black jersey has a red dinosaur wearing a purple No. 15 jersey in the midst of a between-the-legs dunk.
