Four days ago, the Brooklyn Nets beat the Raptors for Vince Carter’s jersey retirement announcement. It was at the Canadian franchise where Carter made his name before moving to the Nets. But the Brooklyn side stated the jersey retirement would take place in January next year. In a development days later, the Raptors have heard the loyal fans and have also announced that Carter would be the first basketball player to get the honor.

“The Raptors will retire Vince Carter’s No. 15 when they host Sacramento on Nov. 2, sources tell TSN,” TSN’s Josh Lewenberg reported on X. “Nearly 26 years after scoring the first ever basket at Scotiabank Arena, VC will be the first player in the franchise’s 30-year history to have his jersey go into the rafters.”

That means the Hall of Fame induction year got sweeter for Vince Carter. Plus, the Raptors’ fan got their wish as they would be the first franchise to retire the 8x All-Star’s jersey. The Nets ceremony is in January, while the Canadian franchise honors the 47-year-old in November.

Earlier this year, the Raptors announced the celebration of their 30th anniversary. They unveiled a new logo plus promised a year-long calendar of special moments and events honoring the culture, the city, and the icons. So the announcement about Vince Carter feels right, considering he was instrumental in his 7-year spell.

Vince Carter and his legacy for the Raptors continues

Before the confirmation from the Nets this past week, the Raptors leaked city edition jersey was a huge hit as it demonstrated the team’s mascot posed as Carter, making the iconic between-the-legs dunk. According to reports, the team would wear that jersey in the February home game as it coincides with the same day when Vince Carter won the 2000 NBA dunk contest.

It’s been a memorable year as he headlines the 2024 class consisting of Chauncey Billups, Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Bo Ryan, and Charles Smith. Another Raptors’ legend, Tracy McGrady would induct the player-turned-analyst alongside Julius ‘Dr. J’ Erving. And just like Dr. J, Vince Carter’s jersey will be retired by two different franchises.

Carter won the Rookie of the Year, leading Toronto to its first postseason appearance as a sophomore. He averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 403 games and is fourth on the team’s all-time scoring list (9,420 points). But his points per game average is still unbeaten. So the fans of Toronto finally got the news to celebrate one of their icons, although they would have liked the news before the Nets announcement. But the 30th anniversary feels complete now as Vince Carter becomes the first basketball player to have his jersey raised to the Scotiabank Arena.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.