Atlanta Hawks: 7 Takeaways from First Week of Preseason
By Chris Guest
Watching Vince Carter on the Hawks Has Been Dope
Though he has only played 30 total minutes across three games in the preseason, the legend himself, Vince Carter, has been an absolute joy to watch in an Atlanta Hawks uniform.
While his trademark athleticism may have diminished after 20 years in the NBA, he still commands a lot of respect and attention on the court, and seeing him lead by example and bark out defensive commands to his young wards has been tremendously enjoyable.
Carter is also exceedingly vocal with the referees. Since he knows the ins and outs of the game better than almost any other current player, he doesn’t hesitate to cut loose on a ref if a call doesn’t go his way. Often, it seems like VC is in the right, but that could just be fandom and veteran bias talking.
As expected, VC has been extremely active in his 30 minutes of playing time – logging totals of 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks – across two games, and Atlanta Hawks can expect that and more from Carter in what will likely be his NBA swan song.
Certainly Carter was brought on board by the Hawks to serve as a mentor for the youth movement the team is currently undergoing. Even seeing someone as legendary and likable as Carter on the Hawks is enough to make any Atlanta Hawks fan beam with delight.