Thirty years after the beginning of the franchise's history, a Toronto Raptors number is finally being retired.
According to TSN's Josh Lewenberg, the Raptors will retire Vince Carter's iconic number 15 when they host the Sacramento Kings on November 2nd.
Carter played the first seven seasons of his NBA career in Toronto, amassing 9,420 points, 1,553 assists and 2,091 rebounds.
Sources told TSN that the Raptors will retire Vince Carter's No. 15 pick when they host Sacramento on Nov. 2.
Nearly 26 years after scoring the first-ever basket at Scotiabank Arena, VC will be the first player in the franchise's 30-year history to have his jersey hung in the rafters. pic.twitter.com/0YGEPSPTap
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) September 23, 2024
Toronto president Masai Ujiri alluded to a “secret” plan last season to honor Carter, who left the franchise in 2004 after a high-profile transfer request and joined the New Jersey Nets.
“I didn't know much about what was going on here, but I know everyone is moving on and I hope the fans can [move on] and we get to add an incredible player to our ranks who really set the tone and paved the way for all of us to be where we are today,” Ujiri said at his end-of-season press conference in April when asked about Carter.
The Raptors will also reportedly honor Carter with a custom jersey that their players will wear on the court this season.
This Carter-inspired logo was originally unveiled by the Raptors in April to celebrate his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Carter also played for the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks before retiring in 2020.
The move has been met with some controversy, as Ujiri previously stated publicly that Kyle Lowry's No. 7 would be the first to move into Scotiabank Arena. But with Lowry still playing for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, it seems he'll have to wait a bit longer to join Carter.