Emotional Vince Carter, Masai Ujiri plead with jaded Raptors fans to ‘forgive’ as jersey retirement becomes official

Bitterness between the Toronto Raptors organization, its fanbase, and a franchise legend appears to be starting to fade.

Early last week, TSN’s Josh Lewenberg first revealed Vince Carter’s No. 15 would become the first number retired by the Raptors franchise. The reports brought out a full spectrum of reaction from fans and media alike, with many applauding the organization’s decision the immortalize Carter by hanging his jersey from the Scotiabank Arena rafters.

Some, however, were not too pleased with the move — especially with how the former NBA star’s tenure ended in Toronto. A recent poll by Yahoo News Canada found that 41 per cent of voters would have rather seen Kyle Lowry be the first Raptor to have their number retired.

On Friday, Raptors president Masai Ujiri made it official: Carter’s jersey will be raised to the rafters during halftime of the Raptors’ contest versus the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 2 as part of the team’s 30th anniversary celebrations.

“What you’ve done for the game, the opportunity you gave all of us to really thrive in this game and grow,” Ujiri told Carter. “We [retire your jersey] with great pride and honour … the first jersey to go up.”

Carter was visibly overcome with emotion as Ujiri handed him the mic. The multi-time all-star immediately praised the city, country and organization he put on the basketball map, along with the fans that took him in — at least in the beginning — as one of their own, while expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of it all.

It’s pretty clear just how much this honour means to “Air Canada.”

“The boom of Raptors basketball bringing the championship, bringing in players, bringing the interest — we’re not only representing Toronto, we’re representing Canada, and for many years I was apart of that,” Carter said.

“Once Vancouver [Grizzlies] left, I was like ‘well, we’re the only team here,’ but it’s a responsibility that I think we all enjoy and accept, because when you guys [the fans] get that opportunity to put that uniform on — when I had that opportunity — we walk around and it’s like ‘we’re representing the country,'” he added.

The 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee also had a message for fans, namely those who still hold hard feelings over his departure and how his time with the organization ended nearly two decades ago.

“I know there’s some out there who have their mixed reviews about me, and all those things. That’s fine. And that’s fair. And that’s OK. But let’s enjoy the moment, let’s enjoy the ride,” Carter said.

“At some point it’s time to bring people together,” Carter added. “Let’s come together for a change, it’s a great opportunity. This is something that has never happened before. So let’s celebrate it more so than throw your nose up at it… and I’m just truly thankful to be a part of this.”

Ujiri had a similar message for fans, preaching forgiveness for a player who has “changed as a person” over the past 15-20 years and who sparked an undeniable shift in basketball culture across the city and country, on and off the court.

“As people, you forgive,” he said.

“That’s life, and that’s the way life should be, when we know better we do better. He was young, and some of the things he did, we recognize that. But he’s changed as a person and you can really see it. I think he’s apologetic for that but he’s grown over time … and I appreciate the player and the person,” Ujiri added.

Carter, as part of his mission to start making amends with a polarized fanbase, was in Toronto on Friday to commit $1 million to revitalize a local public basketball court in a move he called a “baby step.”

Carter also began his attempt to win back the hearts of fans when he publicized his intention to represent the Raptors when he enters the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this fall — something he apparently decided “immediately” upon getting the call.

“I immediately made it clear when the Hall of Fame came about that I was going in as a Raptor,” Carter said. “Yes, great things happened in New Jersey, but this is where it started first.”

Despite being the team, city and country’s first true, electrifying NBA star, Carter is still remembered for leaving organization on extremely unfriendly terms. Amid some of the worst statistical performances of his career, Carter trudged through injury after injury before publicly requesting a trade, forcing Toronto to deal him for pennies on the dollar to the New Jersey Nets during the 2004-05 campaign.

The trade, and Carter’s actions leading up to it left many fans heartbroken, and Scotiabank Arena would light up with boos every time the former star returned to the city until things started to take a turn for the better in 2014.

Canadian forward Kelly Olynyk who, like most kids at the time, grew up idolizing Carter before his unceremonious departure complicated things and left a sour taste in his mouth, had lots to say during Raptors media day on Monday.

Despite the polarizing nature of his departure, however, Olynyk, is choosing to remember the good times and the impact Carter had on him and an entire generation of Canadian ballers.

“(But) time heals everything, and sometimes you have to forget the bad and recognize and realize all the good that he did for this country and this franchise,” Olynyk said.

“It was just so much electricity, excitement and passion. It was really just kind of the first time as a basketball fan (in Toronto), you had something to watch, admire and aspire to be.”

Another Canadian star, Raptors guard RJ Barrett, had lots of praise for Carter and his impact on the sport not just in Toronto but across the country.

“I mean, had to see [Carter’s jersey retirement] coming at some point. Just a legend. What he’s done for the game, just for multiple generations that came after, has been amazing — his impact is huge,” Barrett said.

“Everybody that plays basketball in this country know who Vince Carter is, so, what he’s done for the game is huge and we’re just happy to be able to honour the huge impact he left here and obviously the amazing athleticism and the dunks and everything else.”

NBA legend Kevin Garnett, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame himself in 2020, also had nothing but praise for Carter for not only his basketball impact, but what he did for the city and country as a whole during his time with the Raptors organization and beyond.

Though many Raptors diehards will still carry some bitter feelings with them going forward, there’s just as many — if not more — who are ready to forgive and embrace “VC15” as the impactful legend he was on the court and in the community before it all went south all those years ago.

The fences to appear to be mending as Carter — and a Canadian basketball fanbase — mature and grow together as the years pass by.