"Greatest dunker of all time”: NBA fans ecstatic with Vince Carter’s Hall of Fame news amid NBA All-Star Weekend

Amid the start of NBA All-Star Weekend, NBA legend Vince Carter was announced as a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. The news left fans ecstatic for the 47-year-old.

Carter played a record-setting 22 seasons spanning from 1998 to 2020. During his illustrious career, he was named to eight All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams. Additionally, he won the 1999 Rookie of the Year award, the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest and an Olympic gold medal.

Carter co-headlines a list of 14 Hall of Fame finalists alongside former NBA champion Chauncey Billups and eight-time WNBA All-Star Seimone Augustus.

Upon the news of Carter being named a finalist, fans took to X/Twitter to commend him for the much-deserved honor.

“Rightfully so! Congrats Vince!” one fan said.

“He was in like Mike. He should’ve been inducted years ago,” another said.

Meanwhile, others raved about his elite dunking ability during his prime.

“Greatest dunker of all time,” one fan said.

Below are some more fan reactions to Carter being named a Hall of Fame finalist:

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Vince Carter highlights basketball passion upon being named Hall of Fame finalist

During the announcement of Friday’s Hall of Fame finalists, Vince Carter was on hand and later spoke at the press conference.

The former star was in disbelief at receiving the honor. He highlighted how his passion for basketball led him to play the most seasons in NBA history.

“Unbelievable,” Carter said. “I loved to play, more than anything. It wasn't about the numbers. I was asked probably five years prior to retiring, ‘Why are you still playing? You're killing your average.’ And I said, ‘But I still love to play.’ And that's what mattered.”

Carter didn’t experience much playoff success over his 22-year career. He never won an NBA title, making just one Eastern Conference finals appearance in 2010. Nonetheless, given his electric, high-flying playstyle and elite scoring ability, he is widely regarded as one of the most iconic players of the 2000s.

Additionally, following his prime years, Carter became a respectable veteran role player making his impact felt during the latter half of his career.

Over 1,541 games with eight teams, Carter averaged 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.5 3-pointers per game on 43.5% shooting. He ranks 20th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list at 25,728 career points.

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