Vince Carter: A Disappointment?

My perspective on Vince Carter's talent and "unmet potential".
-----
Make sure to subscribe for more NBA History!
Follow Me on Instagram!
Instagram: / jonnyarnett. .
Interested in connecting more with the this Basketball community? Join up on Discord.
/ discord
______
The game of Basketball has been my passion since I was 5 years old. I grew up as a kid watching my dad's recorded VHS tapes of playoff games through the 70s and 80s, and collected all the Basketball cards. Something about the game and what it represents just hooked me from a very young age.
My love for the game only continues to grow as time goes on. I love studying and analyzing the game, with an unbiased perspective. Feel free to subscribe, follow me on social media, and celebrate this amazing game and it's rich history with me!
I post videos every week on NBA history, predictions, hypothetical scenarios and current NBA topics.
______
Intro Music: Turn On - RW Smith • Turn On - RW Smith (No... ​​​​​​​​​​
-----
#nba #basketball #hoops

[@jonnyarnett]

Did Vince Carter meet your expectations?

[@qzurx]

where did the video on jokic go? i was getting ready to watch it now it's go

[@aaronsowell1639]

No but he is my all time favorite player so he means a lot to me personally.

[@justinmunson1412]

No he didn’t. Thought he was going to be an MVP and at least get to the finals

[@justinmunson1412]

And he didn’t have to play the lakers or spurs in the playoffs to even get to a finals

[@justinmunson1412]

East was week back then

[@celtics17banners84]

Good video. I know I shouldn’t use the help excuse for everyone, but TMac leaving Carter really felt like it messed up the future of both stars

[@mss3183]

Incorrect

[@CrazyxEnigma]

I don't think T-Mac becomes what he was in VC's shadow.

[@handsomeX]

Tracy McGrady became TMac in Orlando though.

[@ThePrufessa]

I kinda agree except for the fact that mcgrady was always going to succumb to his injuries no matter what. But at the time I took thought it was a bad idea for them to split. They complimented each other even while playing similar positions.

[@slxmgulileohzwgi5550]

kinda agree frfr but if it was just the fact they needed to push each other n a era wer u needed to be a dog to get it done things prolly would a changed

[@Noskradamus]

I just think Vince was a well adjusted adult who probably lived a fulfilling life in the NBA and not a borderline sociopath who is trying to patch up holes in their souls by winning like MJ, Kobe or Bird. Like he just seems like a cool dude who you could disagree with and still have mutual respect unlike the three aforementioned gentlemen

[@nic-tv4090]

best take on this subject🙂👍

[@AuthenticCelestial]

this is it!

[@versatillion15]

So basically you’re saying he’s an underachiever OK got it

[@nic-tv4090]

@@versatillion15 more like just not lucky enough to have the pieces around him to win a chip. While MJ is the gold standard and clearly a generational talent in the league the reality is on those bulls teams they ALL needed each other. Without Pippen and the rest of them Jordan would have just been a stat padding asshole. And them without Jordan would have been a bunch of nameless never-weres. Take away Michael Jordan's 6 rings BUT keep all of his personal stats and do you know what you'd have...VINCE CARTER. The years BEFORE Pippen and crew got to the bulls....the two years MJ was retired and the team he was on AFTER the bulls pretty much shows that that particular team assembled needed each other EQUALLY NOT one needed the other more. Had the bulls won at least ONE chip without Jordan during his sabbatical then Pippen could have made a solid case that he was the true leader of the team yada yada... and if Jordan could have won just one ring BEFORE Pippin 'n them's arrival or got the wizards a chip.... then he IMO would be the true alpha and omega of that bulls team. But the reality is they ALL needed each other to make that run work. A true leader would stress that themselves instead of making documentaries that are really just glorified infomercials for their personal brand. Thats the TRUE secret to Michael Jordan's success. It WASNT his psychotic level competitive natural or his personal grit and determination...it was the chemistry and pieces AROUND HIM that got him over the hump! Put it another way....had Vince won 6 rings instead of MJ... Vinsanity would be the face of the NBA that Kobe, Lebron, Steph and all other superstars of this era would be compared to. So its NOT because Vince to "too nice" or he didn't want it enough...its just that he never had that right combination and chemistry of players on any of his teams to get to that same level. ANY superstar who never got a chip or even went to big dance have the SAME issue...Iverson, Barkley etc etc.

[@versatillion15]

@@nic-tv4090 “take away Michael Jordan’s rings & you have Vince Carter” how many scoring titles does Vince have? What about MVPs? Defensive player of the year? All NBA? Vince played longer than Jordan yet Jordan has way more points rebounds & assists. Were you being serious when you said that?

[@Say_No_To_e-Girls]

Kobe Byrant once said that we're fortunate Allen Iverson isnt 6 foot 5. We should all be fortunate that Vince didnt have the mindset and drive of Kobe Byrant.

[@TheChosenMoose01]

I miss Mr. Byrant

[@goukenslay7555]

Man if he did, i believe the Raptors would've gotten a championship earlier

[@JimMacintosh]

Vince with Kobe’s brain would have been a monster. Vince’s prime (albeit fairly short lived) skill and athleticism was like nothing I’ve ever seen….

[@Jralford8]

How yall know he aint have the mindset...

[@shaft9000]

_"Byrant'??? Who hath be this longfellow'd bolly-wobbler thy hast speaketh of??"_ 🧐

[@youngblood4127]

From a pure athletic standpoint - Vince belongs in the same exact category of every physical freak anomaly in NBA history - Wilt, MJ, Shaq, LeBron, etc. From a pure talent standpoint he’s top 10 without question.

[@jlui21]

-- Agree. Vince had insane hops, so fluid. He was MJ in athletic ability. Kobe had the mindset of MJ. Tmac? He was a blend of MJ and Pippen. Talent wise, it was: Vince > Tmac > Kobe Career? Kobe >> TMac > Vince

[@shaft9000]

He might have had the best young "vert-legs" of anyone ever including MJ... but he didn't have quite the burst, full-court speed, or the hands.

[@GoGetYourShinebox]

The only thing he didn't have that MJ had was the same long distance jumping. Vince could get up for sure but he couldn't jump as far as MJ, just as high with more creativity with his dunking

[@hedrax_soldierofchristfire9971]

Agree

[@chadwellington2524]

@@shaft9000 uh yes he did have the hands... vince was the only other player who could do jordaesque layups and double clutch layups and mid ranges

[@catherinelynnfraser2001]

I was surprised by his longevity and his versatility and all he contributed to basketball Canada. His in-game dunking and dunk contests are part of his legacy. He was a media phenomena. I’m not disappointed. Nobody just gets to be the GOAT. You need luck and opportunity and tenacity.

[@nydibs]

Yeah, he got unlucky with his knee problems. Still ended up having a great career

[@SoggySlopster]

If he wasn’t hampered with injuries his entire career he would’ve been even better

[@shaft9000]

Yeah - when it took the league 40+ years to get it's 1st MJ, you don't just magically get another one within 5 years of the og retiring. I've always felt that '"the next MJ" was and still is a silly concept . Kobe [RIP] was Kobe, Curry is Curry, and Vince was Vince.

[@claytonphillips85]

Say what you want Vince Carter stamped his mark on the game of basketball and is no doubt an all-time great regardless of not winning a championship

[@lilpenny1982]

He's on that club but his prime was very short.

[@ryananderson5202]

Chased money and lost.

[@chadwellington2524]

@@ryananderson5202 How did he chase money?

[@youngblood4127]

In terms of athleticism he’s in the category of Wilt Shaq LeBron Jordan. In terms all time great short, SHORT primes - he’s right up there.

[@morganlee2806]

​​@@youngblood4127He wasn't, though. He never won an MVP or anything, really. He was just a very talented player who never lived up to that talent.

[@uriel7940]

Carter is and was a special talent. He had all the tools to be in the top 25. But he never really exhibited that next level passion/fire to put himself in those talks.

[@jaridatkinson4907]

Facts

[@jilson743]

That's right. I remember some nba player turned analyst spoked online that there was a time vince kept on taking difficult long twos because he seems bored.

[@shaft9000]

He was pretty chill, and not a dude relentlessly obsessed with winning at whatever cost like MJ Bird Kobe Russell etc

[@markjackson6431]

Vince Carter was supposed to be the next MJ similar to how Dave Cowens was supposed to the next Bill Russell and Penny was supposed to be the next Magic. if you put that kind of pressure and or expectation, you’ll always be disappointed. yes we get it right sometimes Kobe with MJ, Shaq with Wilt, Magic with Oscar. but not everyone will be a generational top 10 player of all time. we’re all like a CEO of Disney. sometimes we get it and when we do it’s great. but most of the time we get it wrong.

[@chrischen5048]

I never saw Vince wilt under pressure. The man, just didn't feel it all the time. Just look at his last days in Toronto.

[@fortynights1513]

He didn’t reach that caliber of career, but Carter was a solid player for a decade or so

[@Anthonydu01630]

We got it right with Kareem, Magic, Lebron, Duncan or Shaq 🤷🏾‍♂️ And we got it wrong with MJ who was picked 3rd at the draft .. Kobe is overated and shouldn’t be in that discussion imo.

[@MistaWordz]

​@@Anthonydu01630Not really. Hakeem was 1st in MJ's draft. He's arguably top 10 all-time too.

[@markjackson6431]

@@MistaWordz exactly. every team was gonna take Hakeem. even the Bulls. like you said Hakeem is a top 10 player. it’s not a bad pick because you passed up a top 10 player for another top 10 player 😂

[@winstonmiu]

Vince is my favorite archetype of player-6-6 athletic shooting guard that can score from anywhere. I wish he had gotten more recognition.

[@fortynights1513]

Vince, Kobe, TMac, Wade, and AI. That’s a pretty good quintet of shooting guards to be active at one time. Vince was good, but it doesn’t surprise me that he was overshadowed.

[@markjackson6431]

i think Vince met my expectations. great finisher, great slasher, excellent 3 point shooter. he may have been given too high of an expectation to meet similar to Harold Miner. 23 years in the league is nothing to scoff it. i have a feeling tho that he will end up like Bob Lanier and Bob McAdoo. he’ll just be criminally underrated like the other two.

[@handsomeX]

Great comparisons as far as being known as one of the greatest, underrated players of all-time.

[@wobbafett2464]

mcadoo at least was a MVP and a champion

[@brainmaim]

He is immortalized in the minds of NBA fans. Isn't that winning? Championships are cool - but this is a team sport. We all feed into the marketing machine at some point, but give the guy his props. Man was an amazing Basketball player and a highlight when dunking.

[@handsomeX]

His longevity is VERY impressive especially when u consider his ridiculous athleticism, and the fact that he was the size of a defensive end. High flying, Super athletic guys usually crash and burn relatively early. He was also able to last as long as he did because he didnt totally rely on his athleticism. He was an elite shooter, which he was able to lean on later on in his career, like Ray Allen.

[@emilfrederiksen.1622]

True but the guy could have been the best basketball player of all time and he never reached that potential.

[@handsomeX]

@emilfrederiksen.1622 You can't be in the "best basketball player of all-time" conversation without multiple championships, in my opinion. At least ONE 'ship. I'd say He's definitely one of the best naturally gifted basketball players of all-time though.

[@howardmighty6764]

No matter what we do people will never be satisfied. They'll always ask for more from you.

[@CarlyDayDay]

You got that right

[@AndrewSBaker]

Attitude and drive are key to where people ultimately end up. Vince had immense skills, and he was was content with success to a degree that's not the same as Kobe, MJ and very few others. It's not a knock on him, unless we believe that everyone is supposed to be as maniacal as MJ and Kobe. Not everyone can stay in those kinds of competitive modes all the time, and frankly, it's probably not healthy to do so at that rate, regardless of how cool it would be for fans to see that. While everyone probably would be happy with more wins, I think that Vince is generally content with how his life played out. His overall personality did play a role in his ultimate success, but I think he largely met the expectations of who he is. A certain amount of drive can be learned, but part of it is just who you are -- and Vince didn't underperform as compared to who he is as a person. Had he been different, though, there could have been more, because he was super talented. But I don't make that last statement as a knock on him as a person, or his accomplishments. He's a nice guy, and he didn't finish last. Definitely the best dunker of all time.

[@mariosuarez3411]

Very well stated. Agreed.

[@jonathank786]

You could have all the talent in the world but you gotta be obsessed I agree with him being content he did have a good career

[@youngblood4127]

He belong in the same exact category of athleticism as Wilt Shaq Jordan and LeBron.

[@false9961]

I was just a little kid when I saw this man fly and then strike like a thunder..Thank you Vince Carter , for the entertainment, inspiration and excitement you brought in my life. He will forever be my GOAT!!

[@MrTronTv]

Vince was injury prone as well. There was a point in time where he was called “half man half a season”. I do think that was a huge part of him not reaching his max potential as well

[@dewoodson3553]

Vince one of the most durable nba players

[@BladeMasterz916]

I use him as teaching story for my kids. Talent but no drive. No chip on his shoulder.

[@datboimazz]

VC was crazy in 01 Kobe became the best 2-way perimeter player in the game but in 00 it really looked like VC would be better than Kobe

[@gregorysilas6329]

Vince Carter, Tracy mcgrady, and Kobe were all potential airs to the throne. I do think drive is the reason Kobe succeeded where the other two failed. Of course health played a big role for Tmac

[@Marcus_shawn]

Plus Vince and tmac couldn't guard a shoebox

[@iversongmd]

Kobe isn’t even top 8 lol

[@jordanjenkins1671]

Vince seems like a very great person and had no ego and no problem being a veteran on younger teams and being an older brother teammate.

[@forshigity5000]

I played college ball for the University of New Orleans. I guarded him in the NCAA tournament a few times. I was surprised how good he got in the pros. It blew us away.

[@Roki-Roki]

He is still the most talented player i have ever seen. Just so much skill and ease, saw him shoot 3s from mid court like its a free throw, than do a between the legs dunk and a 360 dunk like he was an octopus at 40 years old, just so buttery. The video is up here on youtube somewhere.

[@MsTruebi]

I would agree if you also said that Carter in addition needed the other guys´ luck. To win it all multiple times you don´t just need great talent and drive, you also need to be lucky enough to be in the right situation, i.e. the right team mates, coaches, rules and officiating favoring your play, etc.

[@SellingSWFL1]

Gilbert said what we we were all thinking watching him play in jersey his 1st year. He was the best player in the league from his arrival in december until the end of the season.

[@justinakkerman9196]

Jonny: You need to do a video on if every "what-if" story in the NBA actually happened: Maurice Stokes, Bill Walton, Arvydas Sabonis, Grant Hill, Reggie Lewis & Len Bias, the ABA & NBA were always one league, etc.

[@fortynights1513]

I agree. Also, Derrick Rose and Brandon Roy.

[@justinakkerman9196]

@fortynights1513 Exactly. It'll probably be a three and a half hour video but so worth it.

[@kevinjohnson4498]

Vince was in Chapel Hill, NC the morning of his Game 7 vs Philly in 2001 to attend his graduation ceremony. He flew to Philly afterwards and had 20pts on 6/18 shooting in a one point loss. I just fell like this story captures his entire mindset about basketball....it was never the most important thing to him. He valued his achievement of a college degree at least as much as he valued being prepared for the most important basketball game of his life. I am not saying Vince was wrong for that, everyone has different priorities, but no chance Kobe would have done that. "Send that degree in the mail, we have business to attend to."

[@handsomeX]

Facts 💯🎯

[@markjackson6431]

can’t use Kobe as an example when (a) Kobe never went to college and (b) Kobe had the luxury of being an elite player in top 3 media market. he was set for life. most players don’t have that luxury and will have to rely on the college degree to get them by in life. if you think college is scam that’s fine but you can’t knock someone for going to their graduation “for the most important basketball game of his life”. by your logic you shouldn’t attend the birth of your child or a funeral for a loved one if it falls on “the most important basketball game of his life”. what if Vince didn’t attend his graduation still had 20 points on 6/18 shooting in a one point loss. then what? where are we moving the goal post to know?

[@kevinjohnson4498]

@@markjackson6431 1) Vince was set for life in 2001 as a budding NBA superstar. He didn't need a degree to be successful but still valued the accomplishment of getting one and wanted to celebrate it like other students. 2) You clearly didn't read the part where I said I dont think he was wrong for it, but his mentality definitely effected his ceiling as a basketball player. I do rank funeral or birth of your child well above college graduation though (I didnt attend mine btw, so I clearly didnt value the accomplishment.) 3) I know Kobe didn't go to school. The point is, he put basketball as high as possible on his priority list and lived his life to be best player he could be. Vince lived his life to be a good/very good NBA player and enjoy himself in the process. And I say they both succeeded. Kobe never had to choose between a playoff game or the birth of a child, but I honestly dont know what he would have chosen.

[@markjackson6431]

@@kevinjohnson4498 you’re a bias source so your argument is invalid

[@markjackson6431]

@@kevinjohnson4498 1) it doesn’t matter if he’s a budding star. NBA money doesn’t last forever. his degree will. if Shaq didn’t have his doctorate no one would be taking him seriously. 2) i know you edit your comments so you can’t call out for someone missing a part that wasn’t there. but i don’t understand he wasn’t mentally “there” because he went to his college graduation? what are you? Charles Oakley. he went to some no name D2 school so i can understand why he doesn’t value college education 😂 you’re a bias source like you said you didn’t even go to yours so you’ll never understand why someone would 3) i guess you have Jokic because basketball isn’t his life. fucking weirdo. you can be passionate with basketball without being obsessed with it. get a life like the rest of us. if Kobe had to make that decision between a birth and playoff game….hes picking his birth. look at how he was with his daughters. you aren’t gonna put your career before your children. if you are….shouldnt be a parent then

[@brhyno926]

Before I even watch it. I agree lol..I been telling people for the longest Vince Carter and Shaq left GOAT potential on the table..and Gilbert I agree is fantastic at what he does..some takes he has are brilliant like you said, some others...lol

[@markjackson6431]

like Phil Jackson said Shaq Daddy could’ve won 10 straight MVPs. and i think everyone agrees that Shaq could’ve won 3 to 4 more rings. the most physically imposing presence in the game and that includes Wilt. but similar to Wilt they just didn’t reach their full potential. Shaq should’ve retired with atleast 6 or 7 rings and atleast 4 MVPs. i don’t think this is a case of unrealistic expectations when Shaq (similar to what Johnny was saying about Vince) just didn’t have that competitive drive. Shaq needed to stay in shape. he should’ve been more disciplined on defense. he should’ve embraced the granny style free throw. Shaq is emotional. he’s sensitive. he has a fragile ego. 4 rings and an MVP is nice but could’ve been more. it SHOULDVE been more.

[@mrjermz5406]

Vince Carter has been my favorite basketball player since his days at UNC. He could do everything on the court I wished I could do myself: shoot from deep and fly in the paint. While there was a time I was disappointed with his career post-Toronto, over time I grew to love his longevity and evolution. This made me appreciate him in a whole new way, as being someone who accepted who he was continued to contribute.

[@goukenslay7555]

Vince Carter and Matt Sundin were iconic growing up. No and i mean no one in the city did not know these two giants in their game. I still stand by that it was such a shame Tmac left too early just 3 year shy of Chris Bosh being drafted.

[@janoycresnova9156]

Carter was basically a slightly more motivated Zach Lavine. A crazy athlete but ultimately a losing player putting up empty stats.

[@nbarealtalker]

Carter is a two sided tale. He never got the support he needed to be truly great but also showcased that his motor only ran high when he was truly motivated, angry etc. He’s had a unique career because he’s been everything from a star rookie, to a superstar franchise player, to a role player, to a 6th man, to a true journeyman. He was clutch as hell and talented beyond measure, but until later in his career, he required too much mental motivation to be great. If he was uninspired, it showed. And it plagued his career. He’s still a legend. But he underachieved.

[@eddy5097]

3 things affected Vince and his career His knee injuries affected his confidence His game against MJ where he got destroyed by MJ Trading away the vets who pushed him to work hard After that he was still an allstar but not at the level we thought he would reach

[@hedrax_soldierofchristfire9971]

When did he get destroyed by MJ

[@eddy5097]

@@hedrax_soldierofchristfire9971 it's on KZbin Raptors vs wizards

[@Virtualcritic111]

Vince was who he was and stayed in the league for a long time

[@nydibs]

Vince had the talent to be the goat, but injuries did him in. I will say he exceeded my expectations bc he came back and ended up having a very solid 20 year career when he could have easily called it quits

[@bigpapavee]

100% spot on Johnny. As a lifelong bball fan and Raptor fan from inception to present, I can tell you, i used to say it all the time. Gil was right. Vince had it all in a special way. Compared to Mike and Kobe, Vince was a mama's boy figuratively and literally. She was a focal point at every game. Vince didn't use his ability to drive the lane and initiate contact and get to the line like Kobe and Mike. He wouldn't take that punishment. Granted he was a great outside shooter but you need your best guys to play D and cause foul trouble and hit free throws. Vince didn't have That particular dawg in him. As great as he was, he under achieved what was poss.

[@SuperHiFiGaming]

This is the only video on Vince I've seen that actually gives him his due diligence. Thank you for speaking the truth about what was great about VC

[@DaKrimzonEmpire89]

And he could shot with his left hand effortlessly

[@moety2]

I remember the comparisons with MJ. To me at the time I was like Carter’s body as a rookie was heavier than MJ’s as a rookie. I thought Kobe’s body was more like MJ when they were young. For that odd reason, I didn’t think Carter would measure up as the years went by. When he started to fade from the superstar spotlight, I wasn’t surprised. That’s when Kobe was really starting to shine. Hearing Gilbert’s and your reasonings why he didn’t hit the high people believed he should makes a lot of sense.

[@markula_4040]

Vince's size and athleticism is so similar to Michael Jordan that it's hard to not compare them but that isn't fair. Basketball is so much more than athleticism. Just because he didn't have the same mindset as Jordan (who did really?), that doesn't mean he was a disappointment or wasted his potential.

[@chadwellington2524]

Carter is the most entertaining best player to watch ever, no other player other than jordan could you count on every game too see some plays or moves nobody else could do

[@ButtZilla]

It's his personality, I remember a game raptors lost to pistons, vince would hug it out and laugh with fellow tarheel stackhouse afterwards like nothing happened. I never see that with kobe or mike hugging it out with magic or dominique after a loss. When you have too much gifted talent, you get spoiled. That shot he missed vs the 6ers in 2001 playoffs was a Make or Bust shot of his career. After he missed, EVERYTHING went down hill in Toronto. Statistically, he had some great years in New Jersey but people stopped viewing him as a franchise player when he joined up with Kidd. Kidd left New Jersey because he thought teaming up Vince would be like with Kobe but it wasn't. He wasn't a franchise player like that every night. Was not a leader. Some nights, he would just show up for work, that's it. That's why Kidd asked for a trade out of Nets. It was wasting his time. Vince's lack of consistent effort in defense was visible even in his rookie years. Very passive. Under achieved career!

[@sixthrees333333]

I'm 37... From Toronto... N I still to this day remember going crazy during the dunk competition.... We were going crazy at school

[@15Godrick]

Recent years, Gil, RJ, Barnes, Dahntay Jones, Iggy, and dirt trash Bowen have been most public with their insider perspective of VCs talents. Teague just mentioned yesterday that he would EASILY take VC over Kawhi F'n Leonard! Notably, Ak47 mentioned VC toughest to guard opponent. Someone has to dig this up but I remember a few, very insightful interviews about VC back in the day... Pat Riley VS Nets in playoffs mentioned he never had to focus film on an individual player since MJ. To this day, I haven't heard him repeat that statement. VC toar them up in regular season. 2003-2005. There was a report that someone interviewed the Kings IIRC. He asked members, who would u rather have in a pickup game LeBron or VC? To his surprise, they all looked at him crazy. VC was their answer. Their reasoning, "You don't know how hard is to do the things he do." Reporter was apparently a VC critic and was looking for ammo to crap on him. Backfired 2003-2005. Barkley during halftime analysis, was asked who would u pick to change the face of the NBA. Mentioned AI, Tmac, paused, looked intently into the camera...sternly said VC. He was probably his biggest critic during that time. Half man half season was the joke heard most. 2004-2006 Shaq was asked if he could pair with any one player to start a new team and win a ring, Vince. 2001-2003 Kobe stated if Tmac never left TO, he'd be facing them in the finals. Having watched a lot of NBA in my day, I stand with Gil and others mentioned. VC with a good coach and a solid team would have been near unstoppable. He was a sleeping giant. EDIT: Forgot to mention, during his time in the Olympics, one of the training sessions was a 1 on 1 tourney. It's said he "dominated" everyone. I believe it's written in some book.

[@Zilla-15]

Pretty sure it was KG who dominated the 1v1 tourney.

[@15Godrick]

@@Zilla-15 I remembering KG even stating Vince dominated the 1 on 1s

[@aqua_serene]

"No duh, Sherlock." is wild lmao

[@WhiskeySam1]

The thing with competitive drive is that it isn’t “the other thing.” It’s everything. There’s been no shortage of athletic freaks in the NBA. Those not hampered by injury, can go a long way on talent alone. But it takes that almost psychotic level of drive to push talent into the stratosphere of “all time great.” Having watched Carter BITD, I never saw him as “goat material.” I saw him like an Iverson or McGrady: an incredibly gifted athletic player.

[@colewrld901]

All the athleticism and talent in the world , but no heart to go with it. Zach lavine is the modern version of VC in that regard. Tmac didnt have heart either coincidentally lol

[@a-a-rondavis9438]

T-Mac was a killer, but injuries stunted his career. He was well on his way to overshadowing Kobe in offensive capability.

[@colewrld901]

@a-a-rondavis9438 nah injuries isn't why tmac choked in the playoffs every year and never made it out the 1st round. A killer would've got past the 1st round

[@stevefrench6191]

Zach Lavine is nowhere near VC stop lying

[@CrazyxEnigma]

Damn. VC was better than Lavine has ever been thus far though.

[@369pendulum]

VC is more similar to Blake Griffin. Zach has made the playoffs once & has 1 all star. I like Zach, but stop.

[@borisbrankovic]

Vince Carter had the Potential to be the best, Air Canada was a great time....Love ya Vince

[@josephnewman713]

I feel like Vince loved basketball, but wasnt obsessed with basketball. I remember thinking for 3 years in a row that "this is the year Vince becomes the best player on the planet!" That time never came, but almost every game he played we were gifted with something that made our jaws drop.

[@evanb1879]

I lived your description of Gilbert 😂

[@dfern25]

Vince reminds me of a guy that is happy just being in the league. He did what enough in his latter years to make sure he hung around. But he didn’t want it has much has guys like Kobe and Bron for that matter.

[@nick099]

“ he didn’t have that dog in him”Johnny too funny 😭😭

[@mohamedmaiza3866]

The NBA is full of people with the physical gifts to be greats. Shit you barley can get a sniff of the league with out being in a decimal point of the top percentile of height, vertical leap, and speed. Saying he did not have the mentality of guys like, Lebron, Kobe, (or others who Arenas did not mention due to his own biases) Jordan, Bird, Magic and the other players that dynasties were built around is a bit silly. Since for the most part it was the mentality that separated those dynastic center pieces, the intangible as as you called them were the most important part.

[@rageflash9]

i'm a huge VC fan back in the day and with all the ridiculous takes of Gil, i agree with him. Not only Gil but I remember Sir Charles said that too: He was just too nice..He didn't have a MJ/Kobe/Larry legend mentality; his approach to the game is more of a Dr.J which is not surprising since it's a fact that VC was more of a fan of Doc rather than MJ. The other thing I noticed that what he didn't work on was his movements. If you watched his games, he moved "stiff; not fluid unlike his cousin T-Mac, Kobe and MJ But with all his skillset and athleticism, it would have been a scary thought if he worked on those things but all in all VC was a great player. I just really wished he was in the top 75

[@thetruthstand]

Beckett's was legend. I wish I would have kept some of those.

[@voodoodiecast]

Never viewed VC as the next Jordan but my father did told me when I grew up that Carter was compared and labeled as the next Jordan and I wss like huh? at the time. Fast forward to now, Vince does have it all, freak athlete with all the skillset.

[@etcheverrypanpi2753]

I remember very well how high was the hype around VC despite the fact that there was no social media back then in 1998-2000. And iam speaking from France. I was 11 years old and i told my father, you will see, maybe VC and KB could be reach the level of greatness of MJ. But as talented as they were none of these idols of my youth reached this level of greatness even if KB was not that far. From this point of view, yes, VC clearly underachieve but when the standard is MJ, its natural isnt it ? Great video once Again thank you !

[@nufaa5313]

Fair, some people just don't have the intangibles, but he had more natural gifts than 99% of other 2 guards in NBA history

[@ampjr99]

Early 2000s to mid 2000s was something special to grow up watching when it came to the nfl, nba and mlb miss those days

[@randomperson2540]

Tmac and vince were one of the most talented players I have ever seen maybe even the most by a guard. It sucks they didnt have an all time great carrer both couldve went down as of the greatest ever

[@DirtCheapFU]

The thing about VC. He never got put in a place to have powerhouse team. He was always on the underdog team. When it was him and Tmac on the Raptors. The team was too young. And it was just them putting up the numbers. Then when he started his journeyman phase. He went to teams that were restructuring. VC definitely met expectations as an individual. It was the teams that failed him in the chase for a ring. Like getting to Dallas the year after they won. Even MJ and Pippen talked about how hard it is to keep their heads straight after a winning year.

[@moonjp]

Keep in mind that Vince also has to adjust his game. He was dealing with ankle and knee injuries.

[@emilfrederiksen.1622]

Carter had his best year in his 3rd season averaging 27 points a game on 40% from three. Bro defenitely had goat potential early on in his career.

[@marcosmartinez8088]

You know, being an all time great is also about circumstances and luck too, not just the "dawg" in that player. Dr. J was him, but due to "circumstances", NBA dont allow him to play and ended up in the ABA. Imagine Erving for a team like Boston or the Knicks in the 70's and tell me he didnt have a chance to become a GOAT candidate. This man reach 3 finals with a "good" team, before winning with Moses in 84.

[@AndrewSBaker]

Well said

[@CrazyxEnigma]

Erving was initially drafted by the Hawks before he chose the ABA and Pete Maravich was on the team at that time I believe. That's immediately a title contender every year they're healthy together. There was another guy the Hawks lost to the ABA and If I remember right that was David Thompson who was a beast at his peak.

[@marcosmartinez8088]

@@CrazyxEnigma Julius was drafted by the Buck in 1971. But he didnt want to play there. He signed a contract with the Hawks, but the NBA didnt let him play for the Hawks, because the Bucks had his draft rights. So, Dr. J ended up play for the ABA.

[@CrazyxEnigma]

@@marcosmartinez8088 Ah, thx for the correction. Dr.J with Kareem would've been more unfair lol.

[@jordanlopez1438]

Vince Carter could've been something special if he was more focused compared to other players

[@infamousp5608]

Actually Vince exceeded expectations. Going from just a dunker in college, 2nd best on his college team to developing a jump shot and playing over 20 years in the NBA.

[@JM-tj5qm]

I do agree. But I also would like to point out that Carter is not the only one. There have been several players with massive talents that could be in the GOAT conversation if they had a one in a million mentality like Kobe, Jordan or Bird. Mentality is just way too important.

[@Hogtownboy1]

Vince was right. The worst hockey player got more respect in. Toronto than the best basketball player in the ‘90s and early 2000’s

[@loudy12]

Vince is my fav player so i know my boy is hall of famer it don't even matter.. extremely professional and was able to provide value to locker rooms as he aged. As for championships he wasn't on the greatest teams but knowing how the league works im sure he was content with that

[@derrickolejownik7600]

Half Man,Half Amazing! There was no weakness in his game offensively. His poster on Alonzo Mourning is legendary as is his dunk contest performance

[@culturalcrowns]

Vince is the GOAT dunker. I don't think he thinks his career is a disappointment.

[@dubiouswords7851]

This was known by the end of his tenure in Toronto, which he initiated by basically quitting.

[@RampartPh]

vince played (probably still does) the saxophone and that alone tells you he's a laid back cool dude.

[@juan-josegarza7039]

As everyone else was on AI and Kobe train, you couldn't tell 2001-version me that VC wasn't the next dude after MJ. I loved him.

[@fgomez209]

As you said, he was selected number 5, after Olowokandi, Mike Bibby, Rael Lafrentz and jamison. So in fact he was a big overachiever.

[@kabtown5631]

Awesome video.. adding sports cards makes it incredible!

[@nbarealtalker]

If T-Mac had stayed in Toronto, we might’ve been telling an entirely different story. VC was the GOAT dunker and McGrady was the GOAT that never was.

[@Davivd2]

Imagine Larry Bird's brain inside of Vice Carter's body.

[@gregsaddie]

I feel that Carters knee injury sgainst Boston... was the cryptonite.

[@Footlong1227]

It is always boils down to mental. Some people will be contend when reaching a certain level then somebody will not be contend even he/she is on the top .

[@dennismukoyatv]

The dunking & longevity G.O.A.T can hardly be called a disappointment. Oh, the Vinsanity...

[@asero021584]

Carter will always be my favourite former NBA player.

[@johnle1535]

Vince in his prime was INSANE. Iverson at least had defensive help.

[@ktapreswreckd921v9]

Carter simply didn't have the mindset to be a great one. He also didn't take time to take care of himself.

[@aswanwilliam]

Great editing!!!

[@SelectiveSocial401]

Let's not forget that Vince had knee injuries early in his career that causes an early decline.

[@eag8999]

There are a ton of naturally gifted athletes who simply get by on those God given gifts.

[@holo2869]

People always forget that destiny includes luck and fate. No matter how good you are nor how much you practice, there's no such thing as perfect iteration.

[@august6281]

AGREE. Young Vince came ready compare to young Kobe and young Tmac but didn't leap a progress through the years.

[@jellybeans336]

Vince Carter is like a nba 2k myplayer that started w max possible stats but never grinds to get better after day 1

[@robertkurtbernardo]

All I can say is if Vince Carter never played for the raptors at all, who knows if the raptors would ve existed. His biggest contribution is him making basketball more popular in canada, as well as putting them on the map in the nba. I would say most people remember VC for his time in toronto than the other teams.

[@frankbridges2171]

Vince is vastly underrated he definitely in my top five

[@manny5825]

I agree with Gil. Also Vince with Shaq or another legit star like prime TMAC he would of got a ring. Kobe best season was on 05/06 and lost to the Nuggets while Carter in the East lost against Shaq Dwade Heat. Vince needed a legit team with other stars like Kobe, Shaq, Dwade, Pierce, Nowitzki and would of win. Back then it was a different mindset the stars were scatthered instead like today's league everyone looking to team up.

[@PunanyChemist]

I can't agree with you on this one bruh. The first time I saw Vince in the NBA, I was blown away. Like you said he had the skills but the dude didn't have the desire. Charles Oakley tried to toughen him up and that didn't work. The more I saw of Vince, I saw him being more of a Robin.

[@RVered]

As usual, Arenas is insulting people for no reason. Did VC maximize his potential? Probably not. But you can say that about every highly athletic prospect that isn't a top 5 player. Also, Kobe's competitiveness and tenacity aren't the norm, and NBA players shouldn't be expected to live like him: 4 hours of sleep, playing through injuries, overworking to the extreme, etc. It worked for Kobe because he was wired differently, but other NBA players would probably underperform under such Sisyphean workloads.

[@garyclarke3532]

This man pulled out a 23 year old BECKETT to back up his argument. Jonny is on another level 🫡

[@hiroshiueda1962]

Another revenge strory of Vince is when he got traded to the nets for Alonzo Mourning, I dont know if it is because Zo didn't report to the raptors or Zo complaining about the nets mistreated him since he just got back from a kidney issue, but the first game they met since the trade Vince put him in a poster twice.

[@rusone2516]

It was pure mindset with VC. When ever he decided to be unstoppable in his early years NO ONE could stop him. He should've been an all time great. I still respect VC as one of my favorite players. But he didn't reach his full potential, other than the longevity.

[@strgametakes3699]

I actually agree with both of you. I was going to say him for that question you had about players lost to time like Dame was in danger of but I think his legendary dunking make it to hard but as a guy who watched his entire career I agree 1000%

[@Drummer8282]

Had Shaq played in Toronto rather than LA during the early 2000’s, Vince would have the rings. Also, had T-Mac not left Toronto, would have been a crazy team. Jordan without Pipen or Grant wouldn’t have been as successful.

[@jamiekelley4076]

I think we as a collective group spend too much time taking players and comparing them to the greatest players of all time. This ignores that all players and people have ceilings to what they can do individually and that each player will have different ceilings in different areas. The true all time greats have the highest ceilings and they maximize them as much as they can. The thing is though the total height those players can reach across the board are the exceptions and not the rule. Even if you gave every player a LeBron/MJ/Kobe training mentality that doesn't mean they will reach the same levels as those players at what do best. Their high skill caps and high athletic peaks are not something even the average NBA player could reach no matter how much training they do. But in our quest to always find one of the next GOATs of the sport we spend too much time talking about what areas those players need to improve in to be like an MJ or LeBron. We don't take the time to appreciate the greatness they have now before it was too late. It also I feel gets into these players head. Look at Dwight Howard. He spent so many years being talked about as the next Shaq but he needed to be more reliable on the offensive end. So much so that was all we heard about him as a player in the media and before we knew the the walking double double defensive athletic beast that was Dwight Howard's prime was over because of any injury and I don't think we celebrated what he was enough. I don't know if he got to enjoy what he was before it was over because we never let him feel like he was good enough until reached the levels we expected of him. I think Vince Carter falls into the same category. So many people just wanted him to be the next MJ but Vince was never going to be the next MJ. He never had the defensive skillset to be that great a two way player. Most players don't.