Vince Carter will soon be immortalized in Toronto Raptors legend.
As the Raptors celebrate their 30th NBA season, the franchise will retire Carter’s No. 15 from the rafters of Scotiabank Arena, according to a release. report by TSN’s Josh Lewenberg. The ceremony will take place on Nov. 2, when Toronto hosts DeMar DeRozan and the Kings.
Despite a rocky end to his tenure with the Raptors, Carter’s legacy with Toronto is undeniable. Here’s more on Toronto’s decision to retire Carter’s number in a few weeks during the 2024-25 NBA season.
Why Vince Carter Will Be the First Raptors Player to Have His Jersey Retired
The Raptors’ decision to retire Carter’s jersey during the 2024-25 season is a choice on several levels.
As Toronto celebrates its 30th season in the NBA, the franchise celebrates its rich history while preparing for a bright future. It’s impossible to tell the story of this franchise without mentioning Carter, the franchise’s first true superstar.
After Carter was acquired by the Raptors in the 1998 NBA draft, he quickly became a star. Carter is the second player in franchise history to win Rookie of the Year honors, while also being the franchise’s first All-Star and All-NBA player.
In his second year with Toronto, Carter put together an iconic dunk contest performance before leading the franchise to its first-ever playoff appearance a few months later. While the Raptors fell short in 2000, Carter was the driving force behind the franchise’s first-ever playoff victory in 2001, his third year in the NBA.
Carter’s seventh season with the Raptors marked the beginning of the end as he and the franchise drifted apart, signaling an ugly saga that ended with a trade to the Nets in December 2004. Over time, those wounds healed.
It wasn’t always this way, but Carter has received a warm welcome when he returns to Toronto over the past decade.
Given Carter’s place in Raptors history, the celebration of a full year of a historic campaign and the fact that DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are still active, Toronto’s decision to retire No. 15 now makes sense on every level.
In addition to Carter’s place in Raptors franchise history, his place in basketball history will be cemented in 2024 as he will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in October.
This season is actually celebrating Carter, who is also on the cover of NBA 2K25 and will wear number 15. retired by the Nets in January 2025.
Vince Carter Raptors Stats and Awards
Over six and a half seasons, Carter has had one of the greatest careers of any Raptor. While he no longer ranks among the top 10 players of all time in games played, Carter still ranks among the top 10 players of all time in every major statistical category.
Carter’s 23.4 point average over 403 games with the Raptors is the best career points average in franchise history.
- 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year
- 2000 Slam Dunk Champion
- 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist
- Two-time All-NBA (2000, 2001)
- Five-time NBA All-Star (2000-2004)
Vince Carter Raptors Stats: Regular Season
| Statistical | Total | Franchise Rank |
| Points | 9,420 | 4th |
| Points per game | 23.4 | 1st |
| Rebounds | 2,091 | 9th |
| Aids | 1,553 | 8th |
| Stolen | 534 | 6th |
| Blocks | 415 | 4th |