A Legend Salutes a Legend: Klay Thomson Hails Vince Carter as a…
Dallas Mavericks Shooting Guard Klay Thompson recently made a heartfelt Instagram post to Toronto Raptors legend Vince Carter. Thompson, 34, is a Los Angeles, California, native and son of former Los Angeles Lakers player Mychal Thompson.
Still, Thompson showed love to Carter, 47, a Daytona Beach, Florida, native and arguably the greatest dunker of all time. The North Carolina alum was known for his three-point shooting with the ninth-most three-point field goals in NBA history. Thompson’s recent Instagram post to Carter drew media attention to himself. Here’s what you need to know about Thompson, Carter, and the like.
Klay Thompson Makes An Instagram Post
On Saturday night, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Sacramento Kings 131-128 at Scotiabank Arena. During the game, Toronto officially retired Vince Carter’s No. 15 jerseys to the Raptors’ rafters. Carter, also known as “Vinsanity,” became the first-ever Raptor to receive the honor.
Klay Thompson posted a heartfelt message about Carter on his Instagram story. Thompson wrote, “Huge congrats to Vince. One of the greatest ever and did so much for the game. Every kid who was lucky enough to watch him would try to jump like him and were quick to find out that was nearly impossible lol.”
Klay Thompson Posts Photos
Besides the Instagram story, Klay Thompson posted two photos of himself as a child wearing Vince Carter’s signature shoes. Thompson captioned the post, “One of the best days ever when my mom got me the shox for bball season. Vinsanity forever!”
It’s unclear which pair of Carter’s signature shoes Thompson wore in the two photos. However, Carter’s latest pair of signature shoes — made by Nike — for his Basketball Hall of Fame induction were reportedly exclusive. These shoes included gold-accented colorways of the Nike Shox BB4 sneaker with personalized details, including his initials VC, jersey number 15, the year 2024, and “HOF” embroidered on both sides.
Vince Carter’s Legacy
Vince Carter’s legacy was based on what he did in his NBA career, especially in Toronto. Carter never won an NBA championship, but he was an eight-time NBA All-Star from 2000 to 2007, along with All-NBA Second Team in 2001, All-NBA Third Team in 2000, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1999, and NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1999.
Carter had five good years in New Jersey, but a rather forgettable NBA career after that tenure. Carter’s six-year tenure with the Toronto Raptors was filled with iconic moments and controversies that perfectly defined the era. The former fifth overall pick appeared in 88 NBA playoff games with 66 starts and averaged 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1 steal per game while shooting 43.5% from the field and 37.1% from the three-point range in 1,541 regular season games.
Carter’s amazing athleticism and electrifying dunks left a lasting impact in the NBA. Carter could’ve signed with a winning team like the 2015 Golden State Warriors or the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers, but he appeared to put his ego aside to become a class act and a role model to the public.
