Toronto Raptors legend Vince Carter will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this summer following his 22-year NBA career, which included 7 seasons in Toronto.
Carter said he would like to be inducted as a member of the Raptors organization and the franchise seems ready to embrace him.
The Raptors have something planned for Carter but it has not been revealed yet.
“It’s a secret,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said on April 17.
Carter was a five-time All-Star for Toronto as he helped the franchise reach its first playoff berth in 2000. Then he led the Raptors to their first playoff series win in 2001.
He brought the franchise to new heights, before his ultimate divorce with the team in 2004 when he was traded to the New Jersey Nets.
Following the trade, Carter was booed for many years every time he returned to Toronto. Raptors fans were critical of Carter who played like an All-Star again after he joined the Nets.
However, time healed all.
Carter was recently cheered by the Raptors faithful when he returned to the city as a broadcaster for TNT. Now it seems like the organization will do something special in its 30th season to honor Carter’s legacy.
Ujiri shared his thoughts on Carter’s legacy with the Raptors via Aaron Rose of Sports Illustrated:
“Love him, he’s the best. Like everything else, just like we’re going through here, (he) had ups and downs maybe when he when he left here, but I think what Vince has done as a player not only the length of his career but how he’s carried himself. … I didn’t know too much of what went on here, but I know everybody’s moving on. And I hope the fans can and we can embrace an unbelievable player that really set a tone and set a pathway for all of us to be where we are today.”
It’ll be interesting to see what the franchise has in store for Carter.
Ujiri talks about Toronto’s upcoming free agency
It’s going to be a busy offseason for the Raptors. They have many important decisions to make and will look to get busy in the free agency market as well.
Ujiri addressed the Raptors upcoming free agency plans and how he will assess things going forward.
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