Vince Carter was born on Jan. 26, 1977, in Daytona Beach, Fla. He attended Mainland High School and was a standout in many sports.
He played football as a quarterback until a broken wrist caused him to begin playing volleyball. Bethune-Cookman University also extended a saxophone scholarship to Carter.
Unsurprisingly, his best sport was basketball. He led Mainland's basketball team to its first Class 6A state title in 56 years. On Jan. 31, 2012, he was recognized among the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans.
In his senior year, he averaged 22 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.5 blocks per game. Over 77 schools called for Carter's services, but he ultimately chose North Carolina.
Vince Carter's early career
Carter played three seasons under Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge for the University of North Carolina. He was a member of the “six starters” system under Guthridge, along with Antawn Jamison, Shammond Williams, Ed Cota, Ademola Okulaja, and Makhtar N'Diaye.
During his sophomore and junior seasons, Carter helped North Carolina to consecutive ACC men's basketball tournament titles and Final Four appearances. He was Second Team All-American, First Team All-ACC, and ACC All-Defensive team. In May 1998, Carter declared for the 1998 NBA draft.
The Golden State Warriors drafted Carter with the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft but immediately traded him to the Toronto Raptors for former teammate Antawn Jamison. Carter was an integral part of the Raptors in his first few seasons, leading the team to its first playoff appearance in 2000.
He led the team to 47 wins and their first playoff series win in 2001. In 2000, he earned his first all-star appearance and was on the All-NBA Third Team. The most memorable moment from that year was his 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest win.
Carter averaged a career-high 27.6 points per game in 2000-01, leading him to a massive contract extension in the offseason. The Raptors signed Carter to a six-year extension worth $94 million. Carter's career in Toronto took a turn after that, as he struggled with injuries.
The Raptors were going through an overhaul during the 2004 offseason. The entire coaching staff was let go, and Carter's name was swirling in trade rumors. On Dec. 17, 2004, the New Jersey Nets acquired Carter for three players and two first-round draft picks.
In his first game back in Toronto, Carter was sadly booed and jeered every time he touched the ball. It wasn't until a 2014 video tribute during the Raptors' 20th anniversary celebration that fans finally gave Carter an ovation for his services to the team. “It was a great feeling. I couldn't write it any better,” Carter said afterward to ESPN.
Carter was a valued player with the New Jersey Nets, averaging 23.6 points per game over his five seasons. He fixed his injury concerns, missing only 11 games in his four full seasons.
In July 2007, Carter re-signed with the Nets for four years at $61.8 million. From 2000 to 2007, Carter made seven straight All-Star Games.
On June 25, 2009, the Orlando Magic acquired Carter as Dwight Howard's sidekick. This was about the time he started dating his future wife, Sondi Carter. He helped the team make it to the Eastern Conference Finals but fell to the Boston Celtics in six games.
The following season, the Magic traded Carter to the Phoenix Suns. He only lasted one year with the team, as Phoenix waived his contract on Dec. 9, 2011, meaning they only had to pay him $4 million of the $18 million he was due for the season.
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