Vince Carter believes way to improve Dunk Contest is to add more superstars

Recently added to the Basketball Hall of Fame last month, Vince Carter has had a taste of the spotlight he hadn’t felt in a long time, probably ever since he returned from his historic 22-year career back in 2020. His accolades are all over the history books, mostly rooting from his 25,728 points which mean he’s the all-time 21st best scorer. 

However, there is another award which somehow became more trascendental than the amount of points he scored over his career, and that it the famous Slam Dunk Contest contest in 2000, which sky-rocketed him to superstardom.

Unfortunately, the Raptors icon set the standards so high back in that All-Star Game, that no one has been able to deliver the same amount of impact and value since his performance. After a lengthy conversation with GQ, which mostly talked about his relationship with the Toronto organization, he also explained wy the Dunk Contest has lost its’ course.

I talked to Vince Carter about career arcs, threes taking over basketball, understanding the NBA’s new generation and his relationship with Toronto. https://t.co/NzBK2P3Bp8

— Julian R. (@JRK316) November 5, 2024

“I do think it’s been watered down. But I’m going to give the NBA credit for trying to ignite passion, love, and importance around the dunk contest. Some things worked, others didn’t. I think it comes down to the players wanting to. They didn’t have to ask me—I wanted to be part of the dunk contest,” he said in the interview that surfaced this week.

Carter explained that players have to see this as an opportunity to raise for status around the league. “I wasn’t a star yet, I became a star because of the dunk contest; it put me on the map,” Vince assured. “Even if I didn’t win—and I say that, because a lot of players are worried that if they don’t, it hurts their brand.”

The Hall of Famer believes it isn’t such a big risk to lose at the Dunk Contest. “But Steve Francis didn’t win, Tracy McGrady didn’t win, and it didn’t hurt their brands. It didn’t hurt Aaron Gordon’s brand either time, it created buzz around how he should have won,” he named various cases in which their career’s weren’t affect.

As the contest is reaching its’ 25th anniversary, he marked the path to their reconstruction. “At the end of the day, somebody has to lose,” Carter said. “But those guys wanted to put on a show. This is just my opinion, but you have to get guys who want to. When they do, they’re going to put their best effort forth. Then, hopefully, you start getting superstars.”

The Toronto legend also reminisced on his Slam Dunk experience during his acceptance speech into the NBA Hall of Fame ceremony

After a historic-22 seasons in the big stage, Carter commemorated the fact that he is the only athlete to ever compete in the NBA during four different decades. In this time frame, he started out by conquering the 1999 Rookie of the Year award, received eight All-Star selections, a couple of All-NBA teams, and dropped over 25,000 points.

However, one of his most memorable moments come during the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, which is considered by most to be the most important exhibition in this event’s history. The Raptors legend revealed some time later than he came up with his iconic dunk as he was flying through the air, and didn’t even think he was good enough to win.

“I looked in the stands, and I was on another level as far as excitement and hype for the moment,” Vince recalled. “I felt the routine I had the night before wasn’t going to win. And, I took a chance. We’re here talking about the good, because there could have been a lot of bad … I just wanted to show the world my athleticism. I put some things together, had some safe landings.

His first dunk was a reverse windmill that left everyone at the arena stunned in silence, before erupting into a wild roar. “I just felt good about the night. After the first dunk, a lot of excitement and confidence came out of me, and the sky was the limit from there,” Carter shared.