Vince Carter’s Best Games As Member of Atlanta Hawks
By Dallin Duffy
Remembering Vince Carter’s three greatest games as a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
When the Atlanta Hawks were excluded from the NBA’s 22-team return to play, the 42-year-old Vince Carter saw his career end. The future Hall-of-Famer made it clear throughout the year that this season – Carter’s 22nd in the NBA – would be his last.
Picked fifth overall back in June 1998, a few months before Trae Young was born, Vince spent seven years with the Toronto Raptors. Although his tumultuous exit from the team nearly ruined his relationship with the franchise and its fan base, Vince has been heralded “the Father of Candian Basketball” and was a key aspect of the Raptors’ franchise staying afloat in the late-nineties.
He teamed up with Jason Kidd in Brooklyn before starting to bounce around the league. He spent the second half of the ’09-’10 and first half of the ’10-’11 season with Orlando, then suited up in Phoenix for a short time.
Carter found slightly longer-term homes in Dallas and Memphis, spending three years with each of them as he slowly transitioned from an All-star to a bench piece. He spent his age 41 season with Sacramento, before deciding to spend his last two in Atlanta.
The ring-less Carter could have easily taken an end-of-the-bench spot from a contender but valued playing time with the young Hawks and Vinsanity quickly became a fan favorite in the ATL, even if his play on the court wasn’t always terrific.
He certainly did have his moments as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, and here we’ll be celebrating his career with the team by looking at his three best games in Atlanta.