Door for basketball in India is open, says NBA star Vince Carter

You’re the oldest player in the league but still effective, though your athleticism isn’t quite the same now as before because of your age. How have you maintained your ability to play well even at this age?

It’s all about repetition and continuing to work on your game regardless of how many years you’ve played and how established you may think you are. You can always get better, and I still work on my game and my body to get better, despite being the oldest player in the league. I think it means more to me now to do that than ever because I relish the fact that I’m the oldest player. I still want to be in the best shape. You look at me and say, ‘how are you still able to play 40 minutes, 25 minutes, how are you still able to do what you do?’ Well, that’s my motivation, to still be around in this game. I’ve put a lot of effort and work on my body, had some little injuries but I just continue to work on my game. That’s what’s important for me, that’s what’s worked for me, and that’s what I’ve continued to do. I took the time to just learn what helps me being effective. I incorporated each of those little things into my workout, and now I like to do all of that in my workout routine.

Most athletes in other sports past their sell-by date in the late 30s. At 40, you’re still playing basketball, a supremely physical sport. What keeps you motivated to wake up every morning and put in all the hard yards even now?
I still love to play. I still love the game of basketball. I still love competing. I put a lot of work into my game and my body in the off season to be prepared to play. And I’m not tired of doing it. It’s just plain simple. When I’m not willing to put the work in, it’s time to walk away. There are a lot of guys who are not willing to put that work in to their game or body just to last as long. I still have that motivation, that love for the game. I’m still willing to do all the little things it takes to play at this level and at this age. When I’m not, I’m gone. Simple.

Are you disappointed that you haven’t won a championship so far despite playing all these years?
Am I disappointed? I mean it’s just unfortunate. I’m still thankful, I’m still blessed to have a long career. That’s how I look at it at the end of the day. There are Hall of Famers, those guys we consider legends in this game, that didn’t get a chance to play for the championships as well. So, disappointed might not be the word. It’s still a motivation, it’s still a goal. I was consistently able to play at the high level, consistently able to transcend through the different eras and changes in the game, which a lot of guys couldn’t do. So, I can’t let not winning the title discredit 19 and hopefully 20+ years of my work. A lot of guys haven’t been able to do that, only a select few in my position have. I work every day to play for the championship, but it’s not something that will make me say, ‘my career wasn’t worth the years’.

Basketball in India is perceived as a sport that is played only by strong and tall people. An average Indian is not as tall and strong as an average American. But basketball is also as much about the mind, isn’t it? Could you clear that perception for the Indian readers?
Absolutely. For me, I was able to jump over, through and around people but as you get older, you’re not able to do that and you then have to out-think your opponent. It all comes back to learning the game from a young age, learning it correctly. If you think I can make a great move for a 3-pointer, that’s not learning the game. It’s about learning the nuances of the game, understanding the angles, etc. It’s really discipline more than anything else. And that’s what the young guys coming through to the NBA don’t have. They have all the God-gifted talent and ability, but when you get into the NBA, there are a lot of guys with the same talent and ability. We have the special guys like the KDs (Kevin Durant) and the LeBrons (LeBron James) and Currys (Stephen Curry). But there’s just that elite group of guys, and the rest of the NBA.
We think of great college players, and we say, ‘oh he’s destined to be in the NBA’. And when they get there, it just doesn’t work out for whatever reason. So, for those Indian players or players in general who want to be the best players possible, learn your craft. Study the game.
Like for me, I was a starter all my career, and then I had to take a new role as the bench player. I had to go and study about some of the best bench players in NBA history. How did they do it? What was their approach? How can I incorporate myself into that? What effect did they have on the game? So, it was a new challenge for me, and I wanted to accomplish that and still stay in this league. I was able to accomplish it by just taking the time to study it. Most of the times, we tend to forget about the brains of the game.

Talking of basketball in India, the game is growing fast in the country, with the NBA Academies now springing up. But there’s still not that one guy who has made it to the top and who the kids can look up to, like Yao Ming did in China. Is that something that basketball in India lacks, and how long will it take for someone to get there?
Just like in China, when Yao Ming developed, that opportunity knocked. So, starting with the grassroots and now opening up of these academies, they are giving these young kids an opportunity to better their skills, learn the game, go home and get better at it. They might be the ones to open the door for all of these other young players coming up under them. So, it’s hard to see the big picture for the young guys coming up right now because of that. It’s all about patience. It has to start somewhere, and it’s starting now. This is where it happens. Now you can just sit back and say, ‘hey, do you want to be the first?’ That’s going to be a motivation for all of these kids now who join these academies. They’ll want to be the first to get in here. Give all the young kids on my street or my school or my academy the chance to say, ‘if he can do it, so can I’. Give all of them the motivation to actually get the opportunity, because the door is now open. That’s what it’s all about. You just need the door to open. And that’s what Yao Ming was able to do in China.
We’re in the world today where sometimes we just want it now. We want an Indian player now. We want somebody from my neighbourhood now. It doesn’t happen that way. It’s all about patience and a little luck. You can have a player who is great in India, and you think he is destined to be an NBA player. But how does he fare against the rest of the world is the challenge. You need to be lucky to get here, and you need to be lucky to stay here.

Let’s talk about the Finals now. Golden State Warriors have bossed the Cleveland Cavaliers pretty much throughout the three games, isn’t it?
It’s what everybody pretty much anticipated. I think Golden State’s dominance has been more than impressive. I don’t think everybody thought a sweep would happen, but they felt Golden State would take care of business, and it could go to six games. After Game 1, everybody started saying, ‘oh man, this could be a sweep’. And after Game 2, it reiterated what everybody thought after Game 1. But looking at those two games, Golden State took care of business. They did was they were supposed to do, they won at home, they took care of business at home. And then Game 3, there was all kind of speculation about Kyrie (Irving) not playing well and all that stuff. Of course, teams were going to make some adjustments, but it was more than that to me. I felt if Cleveland had a chance, it was Game 3. I felt like everyone would play better, you’re playing at home, you’re comfortable at home, and that’s what you expect.
I was impressed with the way Cleveland came out in the first quarter of the Game 3. If they had to win this, they had to play well in the first quarter. They were still down 39-31, it was tough, but they were still playing pretty good basketball. The problem is they’re playing their best basketball, and the results are not leading.
You’re still down so many points. Giving up 39-40 points in a quarter, that’s demoralising for your defensive team. I think it got better for them, though. But the second half had to be a LeBron show, accompanied by Kyrie.
Cleveland played 46 good minutes of basketball, we can all agree with that. The last two minutes were very sloppy for a team that won the championship and has been around for some time. I can understand if it’s a new team, first year, something you probably expect the Golden State to do.
Now we’re hearing they felt LeBron should’ve been a little more aggressive, and I agree with that. If he’s going to be touted as the greatest over, or in that conversation, I’d like to see him put his mark late in the game.

Many reckon this Warriors team is as good as it can get in the league. Do you think it is the best NBA team ever?
No, they haven’t won a championship yet. So, they can’t be the best team.

What if they win one this year?
They’re a very good team. But the best team, after just winning one championship? If you’re saying Golden State is the best team ever, and they’ve only won one championship, then what about the (LA) Lakers, who won three? What about the (Boston) Celtics, who won all these (17)? What about the (Chicago) Bulls, who’ve won multiple championships, not just one? I mean if that’s the case, you can argue that case with all the championship teams. Maybe the Warriors are a little better than some of the ones who have won one, but let’s see them do it over a couple of years, and then you can rank them up.
It’s just so premature right now. I just feel that people are saying, ‘oh my gosh, Kevin Durant is the best player ever’. Yes, he’s the best player right now in this Play-offs. And LeBron is playing great. He really is. But Kevin Durant is averaging 39 points, shooting 55 per cent from 2s, 52 per cent from 3s. Like, what can you do with that? And here’s the thing. Steph (Curry) is being overshadowed. He’s averaging 29 points? And it’s like, guess what this other guy is doing! So that’s just that. Kevin is playing great basketball. But is he better than LeBron? I don’t think so, because you’re talking about multiple championships. LeBron’s won two championships, he’s done it at this stage.
It’s all about consistency. You can always say they got lucky this year. We’ll see how they go next year. A lot of people might then have to backtrack their statements. We don’t know that. So, let it play out, and let’s see if they can continue to do this before we say he’s the best player or they are the best team. They’ve now earned a seat at the table to be considered the best ever, but the answer to that question right now is: it’s too early for that.