ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 4: Vince Carter #15 of the Atlanta Hawks calls out to teammates during the fourth quarter of a game against the Indiana Pacers at State Farm Arena on January 4, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Vince Carter became the first NBA player to play in four different decades when the Hawks played the Pacers Saturday. The 42-year-old is the oldest active player in the league and the only person to play in the 1990’s, 2000’s, 2010’s and 2020’s.
A reporter for AJC.com asked Carter what his emotions were following his accomplishment. Carter started to speak before being interrupted by Hawks’ teammate Trae Young. “Damn, four decades?! That’s crazy,” Young joked. “That’s legendary. I’m blessed to be able to share a locker room and have that veteran presence around me. You guys see his locker is always right by mine. It’s something I don’t take for granted. It’s special for me to be able to play with him.”
Carter finally responded, “And then you have the little loud mouth guy that just left here, Trae,” Carter said. “As much as I talk to people and handshake former teammates that are now GMs, coaches, whatever they are, I can say I played against Michael Jordan and now I’m playing (with) the Trae Youngs, and all the stars of today. I’m just very thankful to still be around and compete at this level.”
Carter joined the league in 1998. Originally drafted number five overall by Golden State, the Warriors traded his rights to the Toronto Raptors. He played in Toronto for six years before being traded during the 2004-05 season to New Jersey. From 2000 to 2007 he was an NBA All Star, and averaged double digits in scoring for the first 18 years of his career.
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The man referred to as “Vinsanity” and “Half man, half amazing” has garnered attention across the world for his athleticism and highlight dunks. Most famously he is known for the “dunk of death” in the 2000 Sydney Olympics where he literally jumped over France’s 7’2 center, Frederic Weis. He is also credited with revamping the dunk contest which he won during all-star weekend in 2000. Carter showcased his 360 windmill dunk that became his signature.
“As a young kid, it was just a goal to be here. Once you get here, it’s a goal to stay here. Once I got older it’s a goal to still stay here. There are different milestones for me that have nothing to do with scoring. There are a bunch of 40-year-olds who have played in this league, but I want to be a 40-year-old still contributing, still competing,” Carter told the media.
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