Watch: DeMar DeRozan and Vince Carter share wholesome moment after Raptors legend's jersey retirement ceremony
On Saturday, the Toronto Raptors retired Vince Carter's legendary no. 15 jersey and Carter was seen sharing a wholesome moment with Sacramento Kings All-Star DeMar DeRozan. Carter, or "Air-Canada" as we he was affectionately known by the Raptors fanbase, remains an icon in Canada till today.
During the halftime break of Saturday's game between Raptors and Kings, a ceremony was held honoring Carter for his incredible achievements. Prior to the ceremony, DeRozan went over to share a special moment with Carter. The six-time NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medal winner greeted Carter with a firm hug and the two were seen exchanging a few words.
Vince Carter became the first ever player to have his jersey retired by the franchise. The Hall of Famer had some words prepared for the ceremony and went on to thank the fans and many of the greats that helped him along his journey.
"It’s not just Carter 15 going up, it’s all of us going up," Carter said.
DeMar DeRozan was not the only NBA player to acknowledge Carter's impact on the game. Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry and Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry shared a few words on video. Charles Oakley, Morris Peterson,Tracy McGrady, Antonio Davis, Kevin Willis, Jerome Williams, Dee Brown, Alvin Williams and Muggsy Bogues were also spotted at Scotiabank Arena for Saturday's event.
Carter played in 403 games for Toronto between 1998-2004 and averaged 23.4 points and 5.2 rebounds. Over his career, he was named the Rookie of the Year, selected to the All-Star team on eight occasions and won a gold medal for the USA at the Olympics.
Known for his energetic style of play, scoring ability and thunderous dunks, Carter created some magical moments during his six-year spell in Toronto. He remains a fan favorite in Ontario for helping build up the franchise and the basketball culture during the team's early years in the league.
DeMar DeRozan names Vince Carter as one of his favorite players growing up
DeMar DeRozan and Vince Carter are roughly the same size and build (both players are listed as 6-foot-6) and play the same position on the court. They have a surprisingly similar style of play and one reason for that could be the influence Carter had on DeRozan as a young man.
DeRozan spoke with the media following Carter's jersey retirement ceremony and discussed how influential Carter was during his days as a young man in California:
"He meant everything. That was one of my favoriote players growing up. I remember in LA waking up at nine o'clock in the morning on the weekends watching those early games. ... The excitement that he brought to the game, he was electric."
Both players were drafted by the Toronto Raptors and continue to have close ties with the organization. DeRozan spent nine seasons in Toronto and featured in 675 regular-season games.
The two players faced off plenty of times during their NBA careers, but never played together on the same team.