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Vince Carter On Why He Didn’t Ring Chase: Not Going To ‘Sell My Soul’ For An NBA Title

In the 1998 NBA Draft, Vince Carter was initially drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth overall pick. But he was traded to the Toronto Raptors for the fourth overall pick, Antawn Jamison, on draft night – the beginning of a new era in ‘The 6ix’.

Highlight-reel dunks, game winners, well actually wins in general, a fabulous one-two punch with his cousin Tracy McGrady and NBA playoffs. Vince Carter was the man in Toronto between 1998 and 2004. After not making the playoffs in the 2003-04 season, General Manager Glen Grunwald and the entire coaching staff were fired during the summer, which made Carter angry and frustrated with the Raptors’ front office. Eventually, Carter asked for a trade, and on December 18, 2004, the Raptors traded Carter to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two first-round draft picks.

Toronto fans felt that Carter betrayed them and were mad. Carter jerseys were burned, and new merchandise like ‘FUVC’ and ‘Wince Carter’ shirts went on sale. In his first game back (and in games for years to come) in Toronto, on April 15, 2005, Carter was heavily booed Raptors fans.

While the issue with the Raptors has been solved and is all love now (as it should be), Carter is still playing and when this current season tipped-off, he started his NBA record 22nd season in the league. Not only that, Carter also became the first player in league history to play in four different decades.

But unlike many of his veteran colleagues, the eight-time All Star’s mission isn’t, and has never been, to chase a ring. There are numerous successful and unsuccessful examples of players who did try to chase a ring. Carter though, always preferred to have a bigger role with a team, rather than playing only a few, or garbage time minutes to win a ring. It is likely that Vince could have joined a contender for his veteran minimum, plenty of times. Most teams would have been happy to have a guy like Vince on their roster. 

Carter himself now revealed why he never actively chased a ring, saying he didn’t want to ‘sell his soul’ for a title.

“I’m not gonna quote-unquote sell my soul to get [a ring]. What I mean by that is, I feel like at this age—being 43 on the court and still being able to compete and play and do what I can do on the court. … My thing is that if I go to another team out there that’s primed and ready to win a championship, it’s not guaranteed that I’m going to play, play a lot,” the Hawks veteran said.

“And I can’t handle that, brother. I love the game too much to just sit there and use my voice but can’t use my skill on the court.”