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Vince Carter Reflects on Olympic, Frederic Weis Dunk on Media Day
This time of year marks the 16th anniversary of half man, half amazing, flying over Frederic Weis for a mind-boggling slam in the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a member of the U.S. men’s national basketball team.
And while Vince Carter leaping over the seven-footer for an emphatic dunk in an Olympic game is epic of monumental proportions, Carter, an 8-time all-star, admitted during the Memphis Grizzlies Media day, that in actuality, he was surprised he even dunked the ball to begin with, even though Kevin Garnett knew exactly what had just transpired.
“It was a great time and a great situation,” Carter said. “He was celebrating because I jumped over Frederic Weis, but I didn’t know. I was celebrating because I actually made the dunk because I felt in my mind that I jumped too far. If you look at the dunk, I thought I jumped too far, so I was reaching for it because I didn’t think I was going to make it.”
When players get hung by the rim, in other words, get rejected by the rim because a player couldn’t jump high enough when attempting a dunk, there is a classic soda commercial that all ballers immediately think about: Grant Hill drinks Sprite. Of course, this is what the 2001 dunk contest winner thought about.
“In my mind when I made it, ‘I was like I didn’t get hung and make a Sprite commercial,” Carter said as he smirked. “So that was my celebration, just the emotion of the moment and the situation of making the dunk. I didn’t know he was still standing. Of course, when I turn around he was gone. I didn’t know I jumped over him. It’s funny because every time I look at it I think about how I was celebrating because I made the dunk, he’s (KG) celebrating because I jumped over this dude. It was pretty cool.”
Never change, Vince.
And, to this day, he said he hasn’t communicated with Weis, since.
Carter, arguably the greatest dunker of all-time and a player who averaged 18.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists, will lace them up for his 19th season for the Grizz.
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