Mavs Spotlight: Carter relishing role of mentor
Earl K. Sneed begins his Mavs Spotlight series, taking a look at the mentoring role 35-year-old Vince Carter is playing in the careers of the Dallas Mavericks' rookies.
Mavs Spotlight: Carter relishing role of mentor
DALLAS – Entering his 15th NBA season, Dallas Mavericks swingman Vince Carter probably never thought he’d be playing the role of mentor.
But after the free-agency departures of 39-year-old point guard Jason Kidd and 35-year-old sixth man Jason Terry, Carter became the Mavericks’ elder statesman by default. Now, on a team that is currently going through a youth movement, Carter isn’t viewed as the eight-time All-Star and 2000 Slam Dunk champion – at least not in the Mavs’ locker room – but instead as a teacher and role model for the team’s rookies and young stars.
“I’m all for it,” Carter said when asked about mentoring rookies Jared Cunningham, Bernard James and Jae Crowder. “Since I’ve been here, and I know they’ve been here most of the summer, but since I’ve been back, we were just trying to get ourselves acclimated with each other. And I just sit them down. We just talk, we talk about the game. And it’s not so much about positioning all the time, but what’s expected and how to go about it. And I think that’s what they appreciate, especially when they’re trying to make a name for themselves.
“For those guys to say, ‘Yeah, man, I remember when I was in middle school and you did the dunk contest.’ ‘Say that again. Middle school?’ ‘Yeah, I was like seven or something like that.’ So, for them to come in and be like, ‘Man, I didn’t think you’d be like this, that or whatever,’ and I was like, ‘I just want us to win.’ And they’re gonna be an important part. They might play big minutes, they might not. But at the same time, they have to be ready to go. And I enjoy helping young guys and bringing them along. And it’s good for me as well. You know, it keeps me young.”
Carter, who will turn 36 in January, remembers his rookie season well, when veterans in Toronto like Charles Oakley mentored the highflyer after teaming with legends like Michael Jordan earlier in his career. Now, the former North Carolina standout wants to pay it forward, looking to share his knowledge on and off the court with the Mavs’ trio of first-year pros.
But Carter is quick to add that he isn’t forfeiting his playing time to the budding stars just yet, after being praised by Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle along with fellow veterans Dirk Nowitzki, Elton Brand and Shawn Marion for the tremendous shape they all came into training camp in over the weekend.
“For me, being the oldest guy, that’s one of the things I try to pride myself on,” Carter explained, “being in the best shape or as good of shape as possible. I want to lead by example and that’s one of the biggest things. It’s just kind of being in shape and being able to keep going, keep the motor going at this age. And it’s a great feeling and I feel good. I’m able to go through camp and I don’t feel bad. We had a tough practice [Sunday], had a tough practice [Saturday night], but I feel good. Normally, I’d probably be sitting on the side about to die over there. I put my time in. I did a lot of running, a lot of sprints, a lot of lifting, as you can see. It means a lot and it’s important to me, regardless. I mean, it’s not about the money. It’s about just lasting and just being durable.”
He added: “At least I can say, “Hey, for your age, I can still last with you out there.’”
