LeBron James Reminisces About Vince Carter’s Top Moments With the Raptors

LeBron James remembers it all.

It took the Los Angeles Lakers superstar a moment to get going but then the memories of Vince Carter began to flood in.

“The 50-point game versus the Sixers in the postseason,” James said as he began to list all his memories from Carter’s tenure with the Toronto Raptors. “The rookie windmill, two-handed windmill versus Indiana on Chris Mullins, went around Chris Mullins when Rik Smits trapped the box. The lob in the preseason down at University of North Carolina, we got that windmill. There’s just too many to name, obviously. Obviously the dunk contest, when he shut down the dunk contest, and gave you the ‘it’s over signal.’”

James and the Lakers are spending an extra night in Toronto to honor Carter as the Raptors retire his No. 15 into the rafters at Scotiabank Arena. It was a decision made in part by Lakers coach JJ Redick who briefly played alongside Carter during their time together on the Orlando Magic.

“Just happy for him and everything that is coming has come his way over the last 12 months,” Redick said of Carter who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last month. “I think anybody who came of age in the late 90s, early 2000s, they look back on that version of Vince with a high level of fondness. And I was a fan, despite the fact that he went to UNC.”

James shared his praise for Carter too.

“Congratulations to Vinsanity,” James said following Los Angeles’ victory over Toronto on Friday. “It makes all the sense in the world. (What) he’s done for this franchise, the impact he had in his community, the way he changed how basketball has looked at in Canada itself, obviously Toronto. It’s well deserved.”

The Raptors will begin festivities at halftime Saturday against DeMar DeRozan and the Sacramento Kings.