Vincent Lamar Carter is one among the most electrifying players of all time. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth pick in the 1998 draft, Vince was ironically traded to the Toronto Raptors for the fourth pick Antawn Jamison, who was Vince’s friend and former Tar Heel teammate. It seems that the Raptors got the better end of the deal as Vince helped set league attendance records because people wanted to see Vince play. While the Bulls had Air Jordan, the Raptors had Air Canada.
It was not difficult to compare Michael Jordan to Vince Carter. They were similar in height and weight, had shaved heads, came from the same alma mater, had the same college coach in Dean Smith, and were picked close to each other in their respective drafts.
Carter’s vast arsenal of dunks would be on full display in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest. Everyone knew he would win even before the first dunk was made. He basically outclassed the competition which included his cousin Tracy McGrady and Steve Francis. His dunks included a honey dip, a between-the-legs dunk, and two reverse 360 windmills. This was a time when the Slam Dunk Contest was not full of gimmicks and props. It was simply a man and his basketball.
Vince would lead his team to many playoff berths, including their inaugural post season foray in 2000. He and Tracy McGrady formed a formidable duo and carried the erstwhile underachieving young franchise. This pair would only be around for two seasons though, as McGrady signed with the Orlando Magic to form another formidable duo with Grant Hill. Carter was left to carry the Raptors on his own. He responded by averaging a career best of 27.6 points. He was able to will his team to the playoffs despite an average supporting cast. The Raptors were able to eke out a 3-2 series victory over the New York Knicks but fell in seven games to Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers.