On Friday night, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers came in to Scotiabank Arena and took care of business against the Toronto Raptors in a 131-125 victory away from home. But on the eve of Vince Carter’s jersey retirement night, reporters asked James what his thoughts were on the Raptors’ tribute gesture for one of the greatest players to ever play for the franchise.
James, as per usual, was a class act, with the Lakers star delivering a beautiful message for Carter while expressing why he deserves to see his jersey hang on the rafters of the Raptors’ home arena.
“[Carter’s jersey retirement] makes all the sense in the world, with what he’s done for this franchise, the impact that he had in this community, the way he changed how basketball is looked at in Canada. Well deserved,” James told reporters following the Lakers’ win, via Josh Lewenberg of TSN.
LeBron James was also put on the spot when one reporter asked him what his favorite memories of Carter in Raptors uniform are. But the Lakers star, owing to his excellent memory, managed to recall a few of Carter’s iconic Half-Man, Half-Amazing moments.
“He has so many [excellent moments]. The 50-point game versus the Sixers in the postseason. The two-hand windmill backwards dunk versus Indiana on Chris Mullin and Rik Smits. The lob in preseason down at University of North Carolina, got that windmill. I mean, there’s a ton. There’s too many to name. And obviously, the dunk contest. When he shut down the dunk contest and he gave the ‘it’s over’ signal,” James recalled.
After the tumultuous manner with which Carter ended his tenure with the Raptors, it will be a surreal moment when his number 15 jersey goes up to the Scotiabank Arena rafters, no longer to be worn by any other player in franchise history.
LeBron James is back to his LeBronto ways in Lakers win
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Time continues to tick, and with each passing day, LeBron James inches that much closer to his eventual retirement. But one thing never changes even as James continues to age. He seems to always have something extra in store every time he faces the Raptors, and he was excellent for the Lakers in the win that snaps their two-game losing streak.
James turned back the clock with a vintage performance on Friday night. He put up 27 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists on an efficient 9-17 shooting from the field, putting an undermanned Raptors defense to the sword.
James continues to be the bane of the Raptors franchise’s existence. As one would recall, the James-led Cleveland Cavaliers back in the mid-2010s eliminated the Raptors from the playoffs in three consecutive seasons (2016-2018), with the most heartbreaking defeat coming in 2018. During James’ final season with the Cavs, he was making mincemeat of all Raptors defenders, hitting the most bonkers fadeaways and floaters en route to sweeping them.
But time heals all wounds; the Raptors broke through with a championship in 2019, so all the heartbreak they suffered at the hands of James did at least pay off in glory.