| | TORONTO -- He's got the build -- broad-shouldered but lean
with the fluid grace of the gifted. His smile lights up a
strong-jawed face, raising the prominent cheekbones higher to
crinkle the wide, dark eyes.
|  | | Vince Carter's game has gotten even better than his rookie year, and it shows. |
Give him a basketball and Vince Carter evokes awe, like the
recent drive from the right on which he banked a shot over the hoop
and scooted through to grab his own rebound and dunk from the far
side. Reporters at courtside had to check the monitor to confirm
what they had seen.
These are wonder days for Carter, a period when history might
well record the 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward's maturation from
incredible talent to legitimate superstar.
Last season's NBA rookie of the year has avoided any sophomore
slump so far, raising his scoring average to over 24 points a game
and leading the Toronto Raptors to a winning record and playoff
contention.
In a sport still recovering from Michael Jordan's retirement and
the lockout, Carter seems positioned to assume the role of
basketball's dominant personality.
The already glaring spotlight is further intensified in Canada,
where Carter is the only major star from the nation's two NBA
teams. That's a big load for anyone, especially someone who jumped
to the NBA after his junior year at North Carolina and turns 23 on
Jan. 26.
But in his polite-bordering-on-nervous manner, Carter dismisses
any notion of feeling put upon to fill the void Jordan left behind.
Sitting at his locker after scoring 30 points on Jan. 12 to help
Toronto snap a three-game losing streak by beating Orlando, he said
the NBA has plenty of young stars like San Antonio's Tim Duncan and
Philadelphia's Allen Iverson.
"I don't have any pressure because I feel like I'm in good
company," Carter said. "I play to impress these guys in this
locker room."
The fans who wear Carter jerseys, hold up Carter signs and
clamor for autographs or at least a hand slap wherever he goes,
certainly are impressed. They've made Carter the leading
vote-getter for the All-Star game.
Dave Haggith, the Raptors' media relations manager, attributed
Carter's popularity to his extraordinary talent, winning smile and
humble manner.
"He's everything you would want in a hero," Haggith said.
Coach Butch Carter, no relation, worries the endorsements, media
demands and other public pressures could affect his young charge's
ability to exploit his talent.
"If he gets out of whack, we'll put him back in place," he
said. "The most important thing in his life right now is his
performance in games."
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“ |
You have to keep in mind that he's only 22. ” |
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— Raptors coach Butch Carter |
Butch Carter knows something about athletic ability -- he played
with Isiah Thomas in Detroit, and his younger brother is receiver
Cris Carter of the Minnesota Vikings.
He believes Vince has reached about 60 percent of his potential
and must continue to work on his jump shot to expand his repertoire
beyond the slashing drives and slam dunks of his rookie year.
"You have to keep in mind that he's only 22," the coach noted.
One of the few failures Carter has faced in his 80 games-plus
NBA career could become the inspiration for elevating his play to a
new level.
After months of publicly stating his desire to make the U.S.
Dream Team for the Sydney Olympics in September, Carter was stung
when Milwaukee's Ray Allen was chosen ahead of him for the final
spot.
He became uncharacteristically edgy with reporters who asked
about it, insisting it wasn't important. Then came the Jan. 14 home
game against the Bucks and Allen, their first encounter since the
Olympic selection.
Carter took control early, hitting a series of outside jumpers
to give the Raptors an early lead. One reason Allen was chosen over
Carter for the Olympics was superior outside shooting.
At one point, Carter grabbed a loose ball and turned up court,
his elbow dropping Allen with a bloodied nose.
By game's end, Carter had a career-high and franchise record 47
points, the league's best single-game total at that point, and the
Raptors won 115-110. It was graceful and gritty, as Carter also
grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists and forced two jump
balls with aggressive defending.
He said afterward the performance had nothing to do with the
Olympics or Allen, but others disagreed.
"I've been waiting for his real feelings about that to come
out, and tonight he expressed it," teammate Antonio Davis said.
In the Milwaukee locker room, guard Sam Cassell summed up the
game -- and Carter.
"He did what he had to do to make his team succeed," Cassell
said. "He should be trying to do that every night." | |
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