From Inside Hoops's message board What an idiot. He will never be the best player in the league, andprobably not even the best 2 guard in the league.
Cat, I don't think he can be better either. He doesn't have the mental aspect with the desire, intensity, leadership, etc. With his abilities, he can be a very very special player, but I wouldn't say he's up to MJ's stature, even in terms of potential. But it's good to see that Vince has some goals set. He seems to be quite motivated. It's a good start for Vince.
Vince needs a killer instinct. MJ was so good he could be an a-hole and still be loved. I don't see Vince in that role, and I think the Raptors will suck because they have buried themselves in bad contracts to the point they couldn't even re-sign the one player they needed (Keon Pass-the-Pipe Clark).
I'm with Cat. Vince saying he "can" be better than MJ is just him being confident. There is nothing wrong with confidence. If he had said he "would" be better, then that is just him being stupid.
I don't think he'll be better, but he will be close. He keeps getting better every year and if you read that whole article, you would know that he was hurt for all but 15 games last year and that's why he didn't attack the basket. I think he could make a push for MVP this season, just watch. There's a sequence in there where he hit a 40 foot shot while sitting down, just to give you an idea about his range. I think VC is one of those guys who plays his best ball when he is angry, like during the Olympics. Even though overly critical and self-righteous members of this BBS will complain, I hope to see hime slamming some awesome dunks this year and banging his chest underneath the basket.
If you want to know just how good Carter can be, ask Rudy T... At the Olympics, (yes, the one where he vaulted the Frenchman) Rudy T had an excercise...Apparently dating back to the Olajuwon days, Rudy has an excercise to quickly establish who will be The Man for a team with more than one very talented player...He has a mini-tourney, where they all play each other 1 on 1...Not only did Carter win, he won easily, finishing off Garnett in the 'finals' to such a degree that Garnett called it 'humbling', and Rudy T said something like.." You guys can't believe how good this kid can be..I've never seen anything like this before." But more to the point, this is yet another sign of how bandwagonish people can be with popular players...Carter comes in the league, blows people away with his atheticism and dunking, and soon the complaints surface.." All he does is dunk." Then he improves his outside shot to the point where he's among the better shooters in the league,and that coupled with a bad knee which curtails his leaping/dunking, and what's the complaint? " All he does is shoot..He never dunks." Same goes with his attitude...We want our guys to be classy, so we say. And Cater comes in and constantly defers praise, talks about the team, shares the limelight..What's the complaint? " He's too nice..no fire in the belly. Give me an A-Hole with hootzpah (loose translation)" So then he goes out and says that he's gonna make people pay, and has the ability to be the best in the game, and people complain that he's too cocky, what a jerk...I guess if you decide you're not going to like somebody, you'll find a way to agree with yourself...
i think he could be the best, he is challenging himself whicj is a lus towards getting mentally ready. He has the athletism to be one of the best, and maybe the best 2 in the nba. but its all up to him, and i think he can do it. Way da go Vince motivate your self! "You can do it"
I don't think he'll even be close. Maybe offensively if he can click on all gears, but I question his mentality and desire. Not that I want him to fail. Having another Jordan is good for the league.
thats dude can do it, he is getting there menally it might take awhile. Good point about his D its not that good, and mj ran a 4.3 in the 40. so vince is no where near as fast as mj.
no i sure don't but there is not way he is faster than what mj used to be when they were at equal ages.
Without knowing a 40 time for Carter, How can you possibly say that he is no where near as fast as Jordan? He is tall and athletic, built like a wide receiver, so a 4.3 is not that much of a stretch to think he could run.
wow good post macbeth. didn't know about the one-on-ones. hopefully the next league's jordan will be francis.
Call me when Carter can put the clamps on people defensively, doesn't, can handle the ball and pass it, can mentally take over a game night in and night out, and become mentally tough, then we can compare him to Jordan. He's going to drop 50 on Washington, whoop-de-doo. Tony Delk also dropped 50 on somebody, nobody is comparing him to Michael Jordan.
vince carter - physically speaking - might be the most blessed man to ever play basketball. "could" he end up better than jordan? without a doubt. consider a few things: physically vince, physically is not only bigger than jordan, but stronger as well. vince has the physical frame to withstand more beatings than jordan did (and he withstood a lot). athletically i mean c'mon. is there any more athletically gifted person in the nba? dude dunks balls that would be difficult layups for most people. he has the hangtime, the creativity, everything. oh, and his jumper is far better than jordan's was. far more range and far more consistent at this respective stage of their careers. the problem the problem is that vince has mermaid syndrome. he has been unwilling to put the team on his back and absolutely refuse to lose. he has yet to take on the "me against the world" mentality that all the great ones have had. and i'm glad he hasn't why? because if he did, he would upset the balance of the universe. vince would be a shark with legs. he would be the ultimate machine.
Carter COULD be better than Jordan...So could Kobe and so could Tmac, but that does not mean they will. Carter needs to improve his D and have the killer instinct you all mention. Kobe needs to be able to win once Shaq retires. Tmac needs to stop talking so much and hope he can be surrounded by some more talent. I wouldn't doubt Carter has the potential, along with Kobe, to be better than Jordan, BUT Jordan's legend and greatness is so high, it would take alot to do so.
Since he paraphrased me in his post, I will mention that I am no bandwagoner. Granted, Carter acts one way, he's vilified; he acts the opposite way, he's vilified. Can't win for losing. When I say "he should be an a-hole," I mean on the court. Cut their hearts out, no mercy, that sort of thing. It doesn't have to spill over to the media. And yet I know there isn't a switch for this sort of thing, an "on/off" button. Webber has some of the same problems. $120 million contract and he passes up shots at the end of the game (even when he's open). Still: When Carter learns to play D and pass better, and when he wants the ball in his hands at the end of the game, then we'll talk Jordan comparisons. He does have time, so who knows?
