The Carter Effect crosses borders, NBA fan from Mumbai fulfills lifelong 'Vinsanity' dream

A cursory glance at Vince Carter’s monstrous dunks is enough to say that the man defies gravity. He may have 99 other problems, but gravity isn't one. A series of slick dribbles and dunks within seconds is all it takes for Vince Carter to send the crowd into pandemonium. The man exemplifies the word ‘entertainment’.

When he performs, it is worth every penny.

Just think about a Vince Carter dunk for a moment. The rim is still shaking. The defence is left scandalised. Fans inside the arena are delirious, while coaches have their jaws dropped looking at Vince’s body turn elastic mid-air. This insane moment was a routine for Vince. In other words, welcome to Vinsanity!

It is nearly impossible to watch Vince's best dunks without scrunching up your face out of pity for the rim. If you're on the edge of your seat after watching this on TV, just imagine the scenes inside the arena.

READ: The Carter Effect: A Statistical Insight Into Vinsanity That Took NBA By Storm

Like many delirious fans, some 13,000 kms away in Mumbai, Arjun Menon was left in awe of Toronto Raptors star Vince Carter’s high-flying dunks and his unwavering personality. Vince Carter puts on a show for everybody. Yes, every single basketball fan. Inspired by the iconic dunks and dribbles, Arjun, all of 17, scribbled down a bucket list which included watching Vince Carter play live.

The dream, however, seemed too big for him at the time.

But imagine being introduced to your favourite hoopster via NBA 2K and then finding out what a beast of a player he is in reality. The next thing you know, you’re all set to watch him play.

While still just 17, Arjun began his homework. “I would wake up every morning and check NBA.com to watch his videos, stats and other crazy skills. It became a routine,” says Arjun, who played basketball in Mumbai and other cities while growing up.

Several years passed by as Vince Carter and the Toronto Raptors underwent several rebuilds. He eventually returned to America with the Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic, and Dallas Mavericks, among other teams. Meanwhile, Arjun was saving money to watch Vince play before he retires. 

Nearly 25,000 points later, at 40, Vince joined the Sacramento Kings on a one-year deal. By 40, many NBA players would hang up their boots, but Vince was a phenomenon. As analysts and fellow athletes talked about his retirement, Vince stayed away from the speculations.

READ: Bad Boys, The Carter Effect: 5 Basketball Documentaries To Watch Post The Last Dance

Arjun thought this could be his final year. "I'd be missing out on that opportunity to watch him play. And so, I bought my tickets,” he says. The moment he had dreamt nearly 10 years ago was on the verge of coming true.

After a long 19-hour flight, Arjun landed in the US for the first time. No matter the distance, he was just thinking of making it to the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. “I’m the first person to enter the arena,” he laughs. Among thousands of supporters, Arjun stood out not because he was sporting the Toronto Raptors apparel gleefully. He drew the attention of many inside the arena, thanks to a hand-drawn sign that read: 'Here from India to watch Vince Carter play.'

"Everyone was asking me who am I and where did I come from and what's my story. And then I got noticed by some of the staff members and they spoke to me. It was goosebumps all the way,” says the TEDx speaker.

And then there was a Bollywood-esque moment. This isn't scripted.

"I got noticed by the owner of Sacramento Kings Vivek Ranadive, who happens to be an Indian. He loved the idea that I came all the way from Mumbai for an NBA game. So, we shook hands, clicked a picture and then he whispered into my ear 'You've come all the way, I'll make sure that you meet Vince.’”

Instead of feeling excited, Arjun was still sceptical of the idea as it is difficult to track the owner once the game is over.

Meanwhile, the players made their way to the court. The moment had arrived. It was time to go bonkers. "I saw Vince Carter coming in for the first time. Seeing him live was just a totally different experience. And then yeah, he came in, he started playing, I was screaming my lungs. And then at half-time, one of the staff members came to me and asked to feature on the halftime show. That's crazy,” says Arjun, who is also a commercial automotive photographer.

Vince was coming back from an injury layoff, so it would be unfair to expect gravity-defying dunks and on-court madness. He could only grace the court for 8 minutes as a rotation player. The game ended in favour of Sacramento as they won 106-100 over the San Antonio Spurs.

READ: Vince Carter Could've Played Final Shot Of Career After NBA Suspension Due To Coronavirus

Right after the buzzer, security guards escorted Arjun towards the locker room area, where Vince would complete his post-match formalities. “I could see Vince talking to the media on the other side,” he recalls.

Just minutes later, Arjun was slam-dunked by his idol. “The first he noticed was my board. He asked me questions like, 'Where are you from?' and 'What made you come here?'. I could only give one-word answers. He appreciated my efforts and signed the board," says the 30-year-old.

It was still a unique experience as an Indian to be crazy about an NBA athlete over cricket or even football. "When you watch a game in India, you're always watching it by yourself. And you know, you don't have too many people around. I saw Kobe retire, I was somewhere in South America and the whole place was rocking. People were partying," recalls Arjun.

Abrupt end to Vinsanity

An electric superstar in the first decade-plus of his marvellous career, Vince transitioned into a role player, knocking 3s from the bench with elan. "Over time I saw him evolve into a very mature player who could fit into any scenario who didn't always need to be the superstar in the team, he could take the second role and still, you know, give you really good numbers," explains Arjun.

READ: Vince Carter's 22-year-long NBA Career Comes To An Abrupt End, Fans Demand Proper Farewell

Although he deserved a proper send-off, he formally announced his retirement after setting a league record for most seasons played in the NBA (22) last week. The eight-time NBA All-Star was more than just a supremely talented dunker. Vince was a gift that kept on giving. After carrying the Toronto Raptors to their first playoff appearance in his rookie season, he brought the team to new heights. Soon, he earned the nickname 'Air Canada' and 'Half Man/Half Amazing.' Vince raised the profile of basketball in Canada which marked the beginning of a new wave of Canadian basketball.

Vince's career did end abruptly when the NBA postponed the season on March 11, but he had the last laugh after shooting a neat 3-pointer after Trae Young passed him the ball with just 13 seconds left. It turned out to be Vince's last shot. The reactions were still crazy and Vince was still oozing with elegance. 

Simply put, this is The Carter Effect.

(Image Credit: Sacramento Kings and Arjun Menon)