Veteran Carter turns back clock
Grizzlies benefit from return of ‘Vinsanity’
Vince Carter uninOAKLAND tentionally has gone viral on the Internet over the past week just going through his regular routine.
The 40-year-old, who now is in the Memphis Grizzlies’ starting lineup, twice made a halfcourt shot and followed with a mesmerizing dunk. The first was a spinning slam, and the latest compelled ESPN’s SportsCenter to replay with a caption that Carter has forgotten what his place is in time.
Carter effortlessly put the ball between his legs in midair, just as he did nearly two decades ago in the NBA’s slam dunk contest.
Carter remains a positive light because of the stability and continuity he has added to the starting unit.
Carter has effectively and humbly replaced Chandler Parsons at small forward. In a recent wideranging interview, Carter described what it takes for him to continue to contribute in the NBA at a high level:
Q: In training camp, Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said you would play multiple roles. Could you have imagined contributing this much this season?
A: That’s what I trained for — to be ready to play. We always talk about the age and how many minutes I play, but in my mind, regardless of your age, if you put the work in and prepare for it, I should be fine. I’ve done that. I know what to do when I play big minutes. I know how to get my rest and do the maintenance stuff to prepare for the next game. Yeah, it’s a little bit more difficult than for the average young guy in the league. But I have the routine down for what works for me. My body is prepared for this, and here we are.
Q: You never make it about yourself; you talk about making the game easier for Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. What have you learned about them in terms of how to play with them?
A: We rely on them so much to make plays — sometimes through double teams and triple teams — and they’re very good against a one-on-one. When you have guys willing to make plays, you get them the ball in their sweet spots. That’s what I try to do.
Q: What’s your advice to guys who want longevity in the NBA, given you’ve reinvented yourself several times now? What does it take to do that?
A: The willingness to learn your body. Being willing to take on any role. That’s No. 1.
In our mind, my first 10-11 years, 13 years, I was a starter, a go-to guy and your roles change. And if you’re not willing to accept your new role, that’s the start of a problem. A lot of guys in this league should still be playing. But they couldn’t accept their new roles. That’s the hardest part.
If you still have the love for the game, you’re willing to do that. Sometimes guys aren’t willing to part ways with that role as a starter, go-to guy. The adjustment is tough. It’s humbling. I had to sit with myself. I had to balance “Do I still want to play this game?” or get caught up in the “I’m a starter, and I’ve done this in this league.”
In my mind, yes, I did a lot in the past, and it was the past. You have to live in the present and survive in the present. Some of these guys now aren’t old enough to have seen me play. … I just approach it as if I’m hungry and trying to win a spot like everyone else. And that’s work for me. It is difficult, but my love for the game took precedence over everything.
Q: And yet the other night, you take a halfcourt shot — didn’t heave it but shot it — and then do a spin dunk. What’s your thought on people’s reaction to what you can still do now?
A: I don’t feel any different. I’m glad people enjoy it. It’s a great feeling because of the work I put in behind closed doors. I still work on my body. I work on my jump shot. Regardless of how many years I’ve been in this league, I can still get better. … I always say you never know when you need it. I’ve made a couple of them (halfcourt shots) in games before. You just never know.
Q: How do you feel about being a part of a unique class of players who lasted this long in the NBA?
A: You can’t cheat the game. I’m not one for disrespecting the game. We all understood that at the right time. You catch it at the wrong time, and you can hurt yourself. It’s not good at a later age getting hurt. So you’ve got to put that work in just to survive.