When Vince Carter played in what is expected to be his last road game against Brooklyn, the wing received significant applause from the Nets fans who attended the January 12 game. Now a member of the Atlanta Hawks organization, Nets fans know full well what Carter did in his time with the then-New Jersey franchise.
So do Carter’s ex-teammates. Among them is Brook Lopez.
Now a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, Lopez was drafted by the Nets in the 2008 NBA Draft and got to spend one season playing alongside Carter. That one year was enough to convince Lopez that Carter is an all-time Nets great — which is why Lopez told Michael Scotto of Bleacher Report the Nets should retire Carter’s number:
When you look up in the rafters and see the group of people that’s up there, if one day I get that opportunity, that honor, I’m ok going up there with a guy who I looked up to in Dr. J [Julius Erving] and a great teammate like Jason Kidd.
Vince Carter on the Nets possibly retiring his jersey: “When you look up in the rafters and see the group of people that’s up there, if one day I get that opportunity, that honor, I’m ok going up there with a guy who I looked up to in Dr. J and a great teammate like Jason Kidd.” pic.twitter.com/2NkdKmQ5jv
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 13, 2020
The Nets do play Carter and the Hawks one last time in 2019-20, but that will be in Atlanta on February 28.
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