Former Toronto Raptors star Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups have been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2024, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania:
Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups have been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame @HoopHall Class of 2024, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Official announcement on Saturday at the Final Four. pic.twitter.com/zIX6pQgsHx
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 3, 2024
Carter makes the Hall of Fame after playing 22 seasons in the NBA, which was the most in league history.
Carter was the fifth-overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft as he made a name for himself in Toronto. He earned the nickname “Air Canada” and he was the cornerstone of the Raptors franchise putting them on the map.
Carter won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2000. In that same year, he led the Raptors to its first playoff appearance. He then led the Raptors to their first playoff series win in franchise history in 2001.
Carter’s tenure with Toronto came to an end when the Raptors traded him to the New Jersey Nets in 2004.
Carter went on to have a 22-season career with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks. He retired at the age of 43.
Carter is the only player in NBA history to have played in four decades. He finished his career third all-time in games played in the NBA with 1,541 and 20th in total points with 25,728.
Meanwhile Billups, won an NBA title with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
He is a five-time All-Star who played for the Raptors for 29 games in the 1997-98 season.
Billups is the current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Vince Carter wants to be remembered for his time with Raptors
Carter had a long NBA career but he wants to be remembered for his time with the Raptors.
When Carter was asked “which jersey are you rocking, Hall of Fame, if you had to choose one?” He said the Raptors.
This raises the question if Carter’s jersey should be the first to be retired by the Raptors organization.
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