LeBron lauds Carter: ‘He changed’ sport in Canada

LeBron James took a moment Friday to laud Toronto Raptors icon and Hall of Famer Vince Carter for his contributions to the franchise and basketball in Canada ahead of Carter’s jersey retirement on Saturday.

“It makes all the sense in the world (to honor Carter),” James said following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 131-125 win over the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena, according to TSN’s Josh Lewenberg. “With what he’s done for this franchise, the impact that he had in this community, the way he changed how basketball is looked at in Canada itself, obviously (in) Toronto. Well-deserved.”

Carter spent parts of seven seasons in Toronto after the Raptors acquired him from Golden State in a draft-night trade before the 1998-99 season. He brought the franchise to relevancy on both sides of the border while rocketing to superstardom in the early 2000s. Most Canadian basketball players in today’s game cite Carter as a prime influence.

After relations between team and player slowly soured, the Raptors traded Carter to the New Jersey Nets midway through the 2004-05 season. For years afterward, he was treated as a villain during his returns to Toronto. But feelings eventually began to change. Shortly after his election to the Hall of Fame, the Raptors announced plans to make Carter’s No. 15 the first retired number in franchise history.

James’ on-court battles with Carter primarily took place during the latter’s years in New Jersey, Orlando, and various other cities over the back half of his career. However, they did face off four times while “Air Canada” called Toronto home during James’ rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 39-year-old James has fond memories of watching Carter in Raptors purple before he entered the league.

“Obviously, the 50-point game versus the Sixers in the postseason, the … two-hand windmill backwards dunk versus Indiana … the lob in preseason down at University of North Carolina … there’s a ton,” he recalled. “And obviously the (2000) dunk contest, when he shut down the dunk contest and gave you the ‘it’s over’ signal.”