With the NBA season abruptly suspended Wednesday night due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vince Carter‘s 22-year career may have come to an unexpectedly sudden end.
Carter, 43, thought it would be “weird” to call it quits with 15 games remaining on the schedule, but said he was at peace with everything.
VC hit a crowd-pleasing three in the final seconds of the Atlanta Hawks’ 136-131 overtime loss to the visiting New York Knicks.
Per The AP and The Athletic:
“It’s cool,” he said, breaking into a big grin. “Basketball’s been good to me. I’ve enjoyed each and every moment of it, the good and the bad. If this is it, it’s all good.”
It wasn’t supposed to end like this for Carter if the NBA decides to cancel the rest of the regular-season games. He didn’t have his family in attendance Wednesday night. He only had one of his friends in the stands. The Hawks had planned to honor Carter on April 15 in what they were calling “H15tory Night” for what would be his final NBA game. But there was no fanfare or video tribute on Wednesday night.
“This was fun. If it ended today, this day and the end of the season with these last 16 games will be talked about for a very long time,” Carter said. “That’s something I’ll always remember. At least I scored my last basket. It’s a weird but cool memory.”
Carter entered the league in the lockout-shortened 1998-1999 season and is possibly walking away from the game on “unfinished business,” he said.
“I’m not one for the whole thing anyway,” Carter said as tears began to fill his eyes. “You can ask a lot of people around me, and they would tell you this. I’m appreciative. I do my time and just walk out the door, and it’s OK with me. Believe it or not. It’s cool. Believe me. It’s cool. The game’s been good.”
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