Everyone entering the NBA dreams of being as good as the player they consider the GOAT. And for many, that’s Michael Jordan. But as much as they want to be like him, they don’t want to be compared to him. That kind of comparison puts pressure on a player to become something they’re not. Some thrive in those situations, while others fade away. Vince Carter, for one, rose to the occasion and became a Hall of Famer, but he never truly enjoyed it.
Advertisement
Carter was immediately compared to His Airness when he entered the NBA in 1998. And it made sense. Air Canada had a similar frame to Mike, a jumper that looked a lot like his, and he attacked the rim with the same kind of ferocity as the six-time champion. However, Carter started morphing into his own man well after this pressure-filled comparison.
The Toronto Raptors legend won Rookie of the Year in 1998. He found success by cementing his own name. Vince might not have any rings, but he’ll forever have the greatest slam dunk contest performance of all time. When people speak the name Carter, they know it is associated with greatness. Yet Carter still remembers having to shed the Jordan skin even to this day.
The eight-time All-Star recently joined a panel of basketball legends on the Backyard Podcast and joked about “not wanting the smoke” in terms of the MJ blanket. “There’s this one name, and all of you know it. When they say, ‘He’s somewhat like MJ.’ I don’t want no problems. I want to be me. That came about, alright, this can be my own lane. Just keep doing what you’re doing. And here we are,” stated Carter.
It’s an interesting subject. For any regular person, being mentioned in the same sentence as Jordan would be an honor. But trying to build your own legacy with that kind of anchor on your shoulders is no easy task.
In the end, Carter did come out the other side as his own man. The Ring Culture crowd may always label him a loser, but real fans of the game know he was one of a kind.
Carter has great admiration for Jordan
Carter never wanted the Jordan comparison smoke. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t view the Chicago Bulls icon as the basketball god that he is. In an old interview on the Run It Back podcast, he recalled introducing his kids to MJ at his Hall of Fame induction in 2024.
Carter was already laughing before the story even began, as a clip of him hugging Jordan played on screen. “Little man says to big sis, ‘Dad, he’s darker than I expected.’ I was like, ‘What’d you say?'” The hosts couldn’t help but burst into laughter too, thanks to the blunt honesty of Carter’s son.
“I was like, ‘Man, that’s why they call him black Jesus,'” added Carter, as if he was responding to his son. It was a moment of fun for the eight-time All-Star. That said, you can tell that having Jordan in attendance for his big night was very important to Carter. Why wouldn’t it be? If the GOAT shows up, it’s obvious he cares about you.
At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about: mutual respect. Forget the comparisons. Forget the accomplishments. The NBA is a brotherhood, and few know it better than these two.
