Vince Carter was a true vet. Not just because he was one of the best to grace the court in his prime, but because he actively enjoyed being a mentor to those sharing a locker room with him. Even his rivals got the occasional piece of advice from Carter. It was probably the reason why he remained an active NBA player till the age of 43.
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Carter had always emphasized the importance of seasoned, experienced players helping rookies and newcomers settle into the league. It’s somewhat of a lost concept today to front offices that prefer young, athletic and dynamic individuals filling up their roster spots. Carter, however, took up the role of being a teacher to many talents. “I was never afraid to give these guys game when they came in,” he said on The Backyard Podcast.
Back when Carmelo Anthony was with the Denver Nuggets, Carter caught up with him during a game and offered some advice on how to improve his game. Melo was shocked by the gesture and it left a lasting impression on Carter.
“I’ll never forget this story,” he continued. “We were playing against Melo in Denver. I pulled him aside on the court and I said something to him, like this, this, this. He was like, ‘I’m playing against you.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, but I wanna see you be this’…”
Well, Anthony turned out to be one of the NBA’s best players of all time, proving that Carter was right to see something special in him. Perhaps taking the advice from “Air Canada” did help him early on. Carter loves that.
“I’ve always been that way,” the Toronto Raptors legend, who got inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024, added.
What did Carter tell Anthony?
Surprisingly, when Carter first tried to teach Melo what he needed to work on, the Nuggets legend thought that was “b*******” advice. Well, he was young and full of adreneline, to be fair.
Carter had asked him to slow down. Melo refused, replying that he wanted to “come straight at” Vince, but the Canadian told him, “No man, you don’t get the same shot.” Anthony revealed this incident on a recent episode of 7 PM in Brooklyn, his podcast.
As Melo got older, he realized that Carter had been right all along. He thought to himself, “I’mma slow down just a bit. I’m still going to get to the spot. Then, once you get to that mode, it’s over.”
Like Carter, Melo also went on to have a Hall of Fame career. Unfortunately, he too retired from the NBA without winning a championship. Still, both athletes created a lasting legacy that will remain in the NBA forever.
