Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player and current basketball analyst for ESPN. He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, but he occasionally played power forward later in his NBA career. Carter was an eight-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Team selection. He is the only player in NBA history to play 22 seasons and in four different decades from his debut in 1999 to his retirement in 2020.[1] Considered by some of his peers as basketball's most talented player ever,[2] Carter entertained crowds with his leaping ability and slam dunks, earning nicknames such as "Vinsanity", "Air Canada", and "Half Man, Half Amazing". He has been ranked as the greatest dunker of all-time by numerous players, journalists, and by the National Basketball Association (NBA).[3][4][5][6] In addition to his dunking prowess, Carter was also a prolific three-point shooter, having made the sixth most three-point field goals in league history at the time of his retirement.[7]

A high school McDonald's All-American, Carter played college basketball for three years with the North Carolina Tar Heels and twice advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. He was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, who traded him to the Toronto Raptors. Carter emerged as a star in Toronto as he won the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend. He represented the United States in the 2000 Summer Olympics where he won a gold medal. In December 2004, Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets, where he continued his offensive success. Carter also played for the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks. He received the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award in 2016.

Off the court, Carter established the Embassy of Hope Foundation, assisting children and their families in Florida, New Jersey, and Ontario. He was recognized in 2000 as Child Advocate of the Year by the Children's Home Society, and he received the Florida Governor's Points of Light award in 2007 for his philanthropy in his home state.