{"id":79759,"date":"2020-06-05T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bellyupsports.com\/?p=79759"},"modified":"2020-06-10T22:14:19","modified_gmt":"2020-06-11T02:14:19","slug":"lets-celebrate-vince-carters-retirement-by-reliving-the-dunk-of-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bellyupsports.com\/2020\/06\/lets-celebrate-vince-carters-retirement-by-reliving-the-dunk-of-death\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Celebrate Vince Carter\u2019s Retirement by Reliving The Dunk of Death"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Thursday afternoon, Vince Carter<\/a>\u2019s 21-year career came to a conclusion. Carter ends his career with the Atlanta Hawks, who were one of the eight teams left out of this year\u2019s NBA playoff tournament. Carter leaves the NBA with numerous accolades: eight-time NBA All-Star, 1998-99 NBA Rookie of the Year, and two-time selection of the All-NBA Team. But what Carter was most famous for was posterizing dunks. Vince Carter was the NBA Slam Dunk champion in 2000 with one of the greatest performances in contest history. It wasn\u2019t his fancy dunks that he\u2019ll be known for, though. The 2000 Sydney Olympics is where we would behold his masterpiece.<\/p>

Let’s all take a break from #CoronaSZN and #RiotSZN and pay tribute to the man known as Air Canada to relive the \u201cDunk of Death.\u201d<\/p>

The Day of the Game<\/h2>

The day was September 25, 2000, and the United States and France faced off in their final preliminary round game in Group A. The United States was breezing through the preliminaries like in previous Olympic games. This game would basically be the final act before another gold medal. Entering the game, Carter was averaging 13.3 PPG. Two days before, the NBA stars whooped on New Zealand for a 46-point win to capture Group A. This game was the icing on the cake.<\/p>

The United States was in control early in the second half and we\u2019ll get to the dunk in a moment. But let\u2019s take a look at Vince Carter\u2019s dunk murder vict \u2013 I mean opponent.<\/p>

Frederic Weis, We Hardly Knew Ye<\/h2>

Frederic Weis measured at 7\u20192\u201d and helped CSP Limoges win the French League title and the French Cup in 1999. In 2000, the then-22-year old center entered the NBA Draft. The New York Knicks, in their infinite wisdom and glory, drafted the Frenchman with the 15th overall pick. Weis must have done something amazing to impress Knicks’ management. The bottom line was that the Knicks were looking for the heir apparent to Patrick Ewing.  This was following a miraculous playoff run in the strike-shortened 1998-99 season. Weis was selected to France\u2019s men\u2019s Olympic basketball team and he was having a pretty good tournament until the final game of the preliminary round.<\/p>

Vince Carter et <<Le Dunk de la Mort>><\/h2>

The United States took a lead into the locker room. The Americans looked to go into cruise control for a sure victory in the early part of the second half. Guard Gary Payton missed a layup \u2013 though you could argue a French defender fouled him \u2013 and France F Yann Bonato picked up the rebound. Bonato attempted a highlight clip of his own with a behind-the-back pass to start a fast break. Carter snuffed out the pass and picked it off at 16:04, took a couple of dribbles, and drove toward the basket.<\/p>

Weis was waiting for Carter, who, six inches shorter, launched from the floor and kept going up\u2026 and up\u2026 and up\u2026<\/p>

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