Report: Carter, Billups elected to Basketball Hall of Fame
Published
Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups have been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, reports The Athletic's Shams Charania.
The official announcement will come Saturday during the Final Four, Charania adds.
Carter, now 47, spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Toronto Raptors and put the franchise on the map during their early days. Carter made eight NBA All-Star teams, two All-NBA teams and played a league record 22 NBA seasons. Carter finished his career during the 2019-20 season 21st on the league's all-time scoring list with 25,728 career points. He also won a Gold medal with the United States during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
After an electrifying first few seasons with the Raptors, the relationship between Carter and the franchise soured. In December of 2004, Toronto traded Carter to the New Jersey Nets in a deal involving two first-round picks, Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams and Eric Williams.
Carter played five seasons in New Jersey and went on to have stints with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks.
Billups is best known for his time with the Detroit Pistons, helping the team to an NBA title in 2004 and winning Finals MVP. Billups is a five-time All-Star and made three All-NBA teams during his 17 seasons.
Carter and Billups were briefly teammates in Toronto during the 1997-98 season but the Raptors traded Billups that off-season in a deal that eventually netted Toronto Morris Peterson.
Now 47 years of age, Billups is currently head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.