In a chat with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, former NBA veteran Vince Carter picked himself in a hypothetical dunk contest between him and Michael Jordan. The two never got to do battle in that particular event but Vince says he would have welcomed the challenge..
“I’m winning. I don’t know how, but I’m winning,” proclaimed Vince. “Michael is gonna put up a fight and I know I’m gonna have to bring it. Just like with Kobe, Dr. J., and other greats of the game in dunking.”
Vince, a basketball Hall of Famer, was an 8x All-Star in the NBA. The 47-year-old from Florida retired in 2020 with a reputation for being one of the greatest pure athletes and dunkers in NBA history. In his prime, the Raptors legend had a 43-inch vertical and was practically unstoppable when elevating to the rim.
In a dunk contest against Michael Jordan, there’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t put up a good fight and it’s not a stretch to say he would win. As the victor of the legendary 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, Vince put on a show for the crowd with a jaw-dropping performance that has not been topped since.
While Michael’s showing in the Slam Dunk contest wasn’t quite as memorable, he did win the event twice, in back-to-back years, from 1987-1988. Jordan, a six-time champion for the Bulls, was also revered for his athleticism and his career was a bigger success overall — but most can agree that he didn’t have the same pop as Carter did with his slams.
Unfortunately, we’ll never get to see Jordan and Carter go at it for ourselves but the Raptors legend thinks he would have won and it’s hard to argue against it. When it comes to throwing it down with ferocity, Vince Carter is arguably the best there ever was and Michael never cared much for these things anyway.
Vince Says NBA Superstars Saw Self Doubt As Weakness
While some might hesitate to claim they could beat Michael Jordan at anything, Vince was not shy about picking himself as the hypothetical winner. As he explained to Rooks, confidence is required to keep up with the all-time greats.
“You better be confident,” said Vince. “If Michael, Kobe, and LeBron James see weakness they’re gonna expose you. I feel confident stepping on the floor against whoever is in that arena.”
Carter enjoyed a long and happy 22-year career in the NBA and has played various roles throughout his tenure. For the majority, however, Vince will be remembered for his iconic dunks which set the entire basketball world on fire.
On the court, while he didn’t have the same success as other legends, Carter was never afraid to square up with the best and always held his own with averages of 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game on 43.% shooting. After stints with the Raptors, Nets, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Hawks, Magic, Kings, and Suns, Vince’s playing days have long since passed but his legacy will live on for years to come.
As for Michael, he will never freely admit to any player being better than him when it comes to basketball but even he may struggle to deny Vince’s claim in this argument. The guy was truly one of a kind and his absence is arguably the biggest reason why every dunk contest since 2000 has felt like it’s missing a crucial competitor.