Vince Carter is one of the NBA’s most intriguing cases, fans often forget about just how excellent Vinsanity was at his best, so much so that there is a bit of debate about whether he should be in the Hall Of Fame as a first-ballot selection.
A young Vince Carter was seen by many as a potential successor to Michael Jordan, although that’s not quite how it turned out in the end. Carter’s dunking ability was ungodly. He has some of the sickest highlight reels that anyone has ever seen, and even as he aged, parts of his game stayed just as impressive as they did when he was younger.
Carter played 22 seasons in the league, a mind-boggling number, getting drafted in 1998 and retiring only when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. He played every conceivable role during his 2 decades in the league. He was a franchise-leading superstar in his early days, became a bench scorer later in his career, and was a veteran presence and mentor in his later years.
And while he was far from the main star by the time the 2010s rolled around, every once in a while Vince would remind people of how elite he was. Even when he lost his explosive ability, Carter was still a savvy offensive player and knew exactly how to score, even against the best teams.
Vince Carter’s Highlights From A 2011 Game Against Oklahoma City Resurfaced
During the 2010-11 season, Carter was a part of the Phoenix Suns, which was still led by an aging Steve Nash. The team had a very disappointing year, missing the playoffs altogether with a 40-42 record. But in a late-season game against the exciting and young Oklahoma City Thunder, Carter went off for 28 points, a highlight reel of which recently resurfaced on social media.
Insane footage of a 35-year-old Vince Carter cooking the Thunder in 2011. This is real skill. Look how many different ways he can score. He had so much game left these years but had accepted a lesser role. One of the best to ever do it. #Polished
🎥 @VntgeVinsanity pic.twitter.com/KIKpDTgwzK
— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) September 23, 2022
“Insane footage of a 35-year-old Vince Carter cooking the Thunder in 2011. This is real skill. Look how many different ways he can score. He had so much game left these years but had accepted a lesser role. One of the best to ever do it.”
Carter was playing against a team with Kevin Durant, Russell, Westbrook, and James Harden, all of whom would go on to become MVPs. The team even made it to the NBA Finals the season after that one, and they were extremely talented.
But it just goes to show that skill isn’t something that goes away with age. In fact, it only gets better. Even though he was far from his prime, Carter managed to drop 28 points on an excellent young team. And he did it in a variety of ways, showing just how deep his bag was. His career may have failed to live up to the hype and expectations, but no one can deny that Vince Carter is one of the most exciting offensive talents to ever grace the league.
