Vince Carter jersey retirement: Why Raptors legend will be first player in franchise history to receive honor

Gilbert McGregor

Vince Carter jersey retirement: Why Raptors legend will be first player in franchise history to receive honor image

Vince Carter will soon be immortalized in Toronto Raptors lore.

As the Raptors celebrate their 30th NBA season, the franchise will retire Carter's No. 15 to the Scotiabank Arena rafters. TSN's Josh Lewenberg was the first to report on Carter's impending jersey retirement, which will take place on Nov. 2 when Toronto hosts DeMar DeRozan and the Kings. Raptors president Masai Ujiri formally announced the news during a Carter-themed event on Friday.

Despite a complicated ending to his tenure with the Raptors, Carter's legacy with Toronto is undeniable. Here is more on Toronto's decision to retire Carter's number weeks into the 2024-25 NBA season.

MORE: Vince Carter opens up on 'surreal' feeling of being Hall of Famer

Why Vince Carter will be the first Raptors player to have jersey retired

The Raptors' decision to retire Carter's jersey during the 2024-25 season is a choice with multiple layers.

As Toronto celebrates its 30th season in the NBA, the franchise is celebrating its rich history while ushering in an exciting future. It is impossible to tell the story of this franchise without mentioning Carter, the franchise's first bonafide superstar.

After the Raptors acquired Carter in the 1998 NBA Draft, he quickly ascended to stardom. Carter is the second player in franchise history to win Rookie of the Year honors while he is the franchise's first-ever All-Star and All-NBA player.

In Year 2 with Toronto, Carter delivered an iconic Slam Dunk Contest performance before leading the franchise to its first-ever playoff appearance months later. While the Raptors came up short in 2000, Carter was the leading force behind the franchise's first-ever postseason series win in 2001, his third year in the NBA.

Carter's seventh season with the Raptors marked the beginning of the end as he and the franchise drifted apart, signaling an ugly saga that ended with a trade to the Nets in December 2004. Over time, those wounds have healed.

It wasn't always the case, but Carter has received warm welcomes during his returns to Toronto over the past decade.

Given Carter's standing in Raptors history, the year-long celebration of a milestone campaign, and the fact that DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are still active, Toronto's decision to retire No. 15 now makes sense on each level.

In addition to Carter's place in Raptors franchise history, his place in basketball history will be cemented in 2024 as he will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in October. 

This season effectively serves as a celebration of Carter, who is also on the cover of NBA 2K25 and will have No. 15 retired by the Nets in January 2025.

MORE: Why Vince Carter wants to go into the Hall of Fame as a Raptor

Vince Carter Raptors stats, accolades

Over six and a half seasons, Carter turned in one of the greatest careers by a Raptor. Despite no longer ranking in the top 10 in games played, Carter still ranks among the top 10 all-time in all major statistical categories.

Carter's average of 23.4 points over 403 games with the Raptors is the best career scoring average in franchise history. 

  • 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 2000 Slam Dunk champion
  • 2000 Olympic gold medalist
  • Two-time All-NBA (2000, 2001)
  • Five-time NBA All-Star (2000-04)

Vince Carter Raptors stats: Regular season 

StatTotalFranchise rank
Points9,4204th
Points per game23.41st
Rebounds2,0919th
Assists1,5538th
Steals5346th
Blocks4154th

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.