Vince Carter: The NBA's Mr. Miyagi

It was a cold winter day on February 5, 1999, in Boston Massachusetts. Fans filed into the Fleet Center – currently the TD Garden – for the opening day of NBA basketball. 'Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears was atop the Billboard Top 100 at the time of the game. President Bill Clinton was at the center of a national controversy. Saving Private Ryan had been nominated for Best Picture and the Backstreet Boys were considered one of the best new music artists in America. Nokia phones – featuring an 84-by-48 pixel display screen and the widely popular ‘snake’ game – were all the rage. Sonny Walkmans were one of the hottest selling items in stores across the country. Blockbuster was changing the movie business. And NBC was preparing for their first season without Seinfeld in 10 years.

It was a typical warm and sunny day on January 25, 2018, in Miami Florida. Fans filed into the American Airlines Arena for a game between the Miami Heat and the Sacramento Kings. ‘Havana’ by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug was atop the Billboard Top 100. President Donald Trump was at the center of a national controversy. 'Get Out' was nominated for Best Picture and the Backstreet Boys had been irrelevant for nearly 16 years. The iPhone X – featuring a facial recognition system that unlocks your phone, 2,436-by-1125 pixel display screen and thousands of available apps and games – were all the rage. There was no need for Sonny Walkmans because music could be stored and played on an individual’s phone. Blockbuster had been bankrupt for 8 years. But Seinfeld was still one of the most popular shows in US history.

A lot had changed in the nearly two decades between February 5, 1999 and January 25, 2018. But one thing had remained the same. Vince Carter was warming up for an NBA basketball game.

The man known amongst basketball fans as “half man – half amazing” is one of only three active players in the NBA that made their debut in the 1990’s and is one of two that are playing more than 10 minutes per game.

As the Sacramento Kings took on the Miami Heat on January 25, the game was only the second biggest event that weekend for the 20 year NBA veteran. Carter turned 41 the following day. The forward who made a living by dunking over anybody and everybody spent his birthday weekend by watching the Kings eke out a victory in Miami although Carter failed to see the court. But at this point in career Carter is just happy to playing. Besides that, his role with Sacramento isn’t as a player but as a teacher, Mr. Miyagi style.

King’s rookie point guard De’Aaron Fox was 2 years-old in 2000 when Vince Carter put on one of the most spectacular, jaw-dropping dunk contest performances of all time. Now Fox is taking pointers from and playing alongside the eight-time All Star. Carter has embraced the role of veteran teacher to a young core that Sacramento hopes can return the team to contention. Carter could have easily chosen to chase an NBA championship – an achievement that has eluded him throughout his entire career. As a free agent over the summer he could have chosen to join the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers or San Antonio Spurs for the veteran’s minimum and hitched a ride to the Finals much like NBA Hall of Famers Tracy McGrady, Karl Malone and Gary Payton did late in their careers - although none of them ever won that precious championship.

But rather than chase a ring, Carter chose to join a Sacramento team that everyone knew would finish at or near the bottom of the NBA standings for the sole purpose of helping to teach a young crop of NBA players. Sacramento boasts a roster that features 12 players with two-or-less years of experience in the NBA and 5 rookies, which makes the role the Kings need Carter to play much more important than that of a starter.

But while Carter has taken the role of teacher instead of starter that still has not stopped him from creating posters by viciously dunking over opponents. Most famously known for leaping over French Center Frederic Weis in the 200 Olympics, Carter has been creating YouTube worthy highlights for over 20 years.

For those who follow Vince Carter, a highlight-reel dunk should come as no surprise. But when Bleacher Report posts a video of a 40 year-old Carter dunking over 22 year-old – and dunk contest contestant – Aaron Gordon fans can’t help but feel as if they’ve gone back in time. But for him it's common. After-all, it's what he's been doing his whole career.

Carter’s journey through the NBA has been tumultuous at best. As a young player, Carter was tasked with being the face of a recently added NBA franchise, the Toronto Raptors. Carter eventually put Toronto on the NBA map and is credited with helping the Raptors become a staple franchise in the NBA. But while Carter is arguably the most important Raptor of all time, things did not end well as Carter and Toronto management were at odds over the Raptor’s decision to send future Hall of Famer – and Carter’s cousin – Tracy McGrady to Orlando.

Carter was eventually traded to the New Jersey Nets where he was able to transform from an exciting young player to a member of a championship caliber team. Carter joined forces with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson and although injuries prevented the Nets from ever reaching their full potential despite Carter averaging 23.6 points per game during his time with New Jersey.

As the trio of Carter, Kidd and Jefferson continued to age the Nets decided to blow up the Nets roster and sent Kidd to Dallas and Jefferson to Milwaukee. Carter quickly became the face of the Nets and a back-court of Vince Carter of Devin Harris was the highest scoring back-court in the NBA in the 2008-09 season.

The Nets eventually decided to move on from Carter and traded the forward to the Orlando Magic in 2009 and Carter officially began his role as an NBA journeyman. After stops in Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas and Memphis, Carter joined the Sacramento Kings – his seventh team in 20 years.

While the Kings have failed to win many games, the experience and leadership Carter has brought to a young Sacramento roster has been invaluable. But don’t look at Vincesanity as just another guy at the end of the bench. Carter has continued to show that he can be a productive member of a team, averaging 5 points and 2 rebounds while shooting 42% from the field and 39% from three in 16 minutes of action per game.

While the numbers aren’t as flashy as they once were, the 41 year-old has proven a big game or a SportsCenter Top 10 dunk is not out of the question. Carter finished with 24 points in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in December, outscoring Lebron James.

Carter’s deal with Sacramento is only one-year in length, allowing Carter to become a free agent in the summer of 2018. Carter could retire, seeing as he will be 42 years old when next season is over. But don’t rule out a Carter comeback as he chases the sought after NBA championship. Half-Man-Half-Amazing is an accurate description of a young Vince Carter, but maybe Half-Man-Half-Immortal suits him a little better.