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It’s time to celebrate something Vince Carter doesn’t like discussing regularly.
I got to know Carter a bit when he played for the Sacramento Kings during the 2017-18 season. That’s when I learned he doesn’t talk a lot about his dunks — he doesn’t know how much more he can say about them. It’s something he mentioned again when I ran into him in February during NBA All-Star weekend in San Francisco.
Sorry, Mr. Carter, but we’ve got to talk about that dunk from 25 years ago. The one from the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Thaaaaaaaaat dunk.
Arguably, the dunk of all dunks happened on Sept. 25, 2000. Team USA was competing in its final preliminary-round game against France. The Americans won 106-94, but no play would be more memorable than what occurred near the 16-minute mark of the second half.
Gary Payton drove the lane and missed a layup. Vin Baker and France’s Frédéric Weis battled for a rebound, which France controlled. Yann Bonato attempted a behind-the-back bounce pass to start a transition break, but the pass was intercepted by Carter, who had a 7-foot-2 tower between him and the basket.
The 6-foot-6 Carter took off and soared over Weis. Literally.
The French media referred to it as “le dunk de la mort,” meaning “the dunk of death.” Weis said 15 years later that at that moment he “learned people could fly.”
Carter had nicknames like “Air Canada,” “Vinsanity” and “Half-Man/Half-Amazing” because of his incredible athleticism. On that play, he made believers out of everybody.