Vince Carter says he is '90-something percent' sure that he will retire after 2018-19 season
One of the most exciting careers of the modern NBA is likely reaching its end this season.
19-year NBA veteran Vince Carter, freshly signed by the Atlanta Hawks, said in an interview with ESPN that he is “90-something percent” sure that the 2018-19 season will be his last in the NBA.
At 41 years old, Carter is the oldest active player in the NBA is about to play a season with his eighth franchise. He signed with the Hawks last season for the veteran’s minimum and figures to come off the bench as a veteran leader for a very young team in Atlanta. Carter averaged 5.4 points on 40.3 percent shooting with 2.6 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per game for the Sacramento Kings last season.
If Carter indeed retires at the end of the season, he’ll finish his career as an eight-time NBA All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist and one of the NBA’s most iconic Slam Dunk Contest champions.
Vince Carter values minutes over rings
It’s unknown how many offers from contenders that Carter had on the table before he signed with the Hawks, but he told ESPN that his primary goal wasn’t to chase a ring. Instead, the opportunity for playing time was apparently the Hawks’ primary selling point.
“I still want to play the game,” Carter, the oldest player in the NBA said. “Whatever minutes are there, I want (them).”
With the Hawks beginning to rebuild, it makes sense that they’d have minutes to give and a desire to add both a well-known name and a possible teacher for the team’s younger players.
Where does Vince Carter rank in NBA history?
Carter currently sits at 22nd on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 24,868 career points. As he enters next season, he’ll need 325 points to pass Jerry West for 21st place and 412 points to reach the top 20 at the expense of Reggie Miller. Every eligible player in the NBA’s top 30 is in the Naismith Hall of Fame, so you can figure that Carter will eventually be a strong candidate for induction.
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