Former NBA greats Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups were inducted into the North American league’s Hall of Fame on Sunday, in a new class of 13 names that includes late legend Jerry West, honored for a second time.
Carter, 47, walked the NBA floors for 22 seasons, rewarding the public with a most explosive game regularly embellished with spectacular dunks, under the jerseys of the Toronto Raptors and the New Jersey Nets – since relocated to Brooklyn – notably .
Eight times All-Star, winner of the dunk contest in 2000 and above all Olympic champion with Team USA the same year in Sydney, he averages 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists overall. of his career. “I played because I loved it. (…) It was never a question of chasing rings”declared the man who retired at 43 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, without ever being crowned NBA champion.
Chauncey Billups won a ring in 2004 as leader of the famously rough Detroit Pistons team. MVP of the finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, the current Portland coach, 48 years old, was a five-time All-Star throughout his career.
