Toronto Raptors retiring Vince Carter’s number this season and date is set

Thirty years into the franchise’s history, the Toronto Raptors will finally have a number retired.

As per TSN’s Josh Lewenberg, the Raptors will be retiring Vince Carter’s iconic number 15 when they host the Sacramento Kings on November 2.

Carter spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career playing in Toronto, amassing 9,420 points, 1,553 assists, and 2,091 rebounds.

Toronto president Masai Ujiri alluded to a “secret” plan last season to honour Carter, who left the franchise for the New Jersey Nets in 2004 after a high-profile trade request.

“I didn’t know too much about what went on here, but I know everybody is moving on and I hope the fans can [move on] and we can embrace an unbelievable player that really set a tone and set a pathway for all of us to be where we are today,” Ujiri said back in April at his end-of-season press conference when asked about Carter.

The Raptors will also be reportedly honouring Carter with a custom jersey worn on-court this season by their players.

This Carter-inspired logo was initially revealed by the Raptors back in April as a way to commemorate his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Carter also had stints with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks before retiring in 2020.

The move does come with a bit of discourse around it, as Ujiri had previously made public proclamations that Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 would be the first to join the Scotiabank Arena rafters. But given that Lowry is still playing this season for the Philadelphia 76ers, it appears he might have to wait a bit to join Carter.