'This is not normal' - Steve Smith on Vince Carter's ridiculous elevation in his jump shot

Originally posted on Basketball Network
By Virgil Villanueva | Last updated Dec 24, 2024 7:28 AM ET

Steve Smith was hyped after being selected to represent Team USA in the 2000 Olympics. It was a chance to make his country proud and for Smith to see some of his NBA colleagues up close.

Practicing with "Vinsanity"

Vince Carter, then the incoming swingman of the Toronto Raptors, was also a national team member. He had captivated NBA fans with his ridiculous in-game dunks. In the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, "Air Canada" stamped his name as one of the best dunkers of all time.

And so Smith, then a sharpshooting guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, came into Team USA practices expecting to see some crazy dunks from VC. While Carter did show off some crazy slams, Steve saw another dimension of Vince's athleticism.

"You were seeing unbelievable things in practice," Smith said, per ESPN. "The way he was attacking our bigs with that explosion. I remember looking at J-Kidd and GP going, 'This is just unreal.' It was the dunks, but it was more than just the dunks. I'm 6-foot-8 ... at one point, I was checking him, and he shoots a jump shot. And I'm thinking: 'Look how high he elevated on a pull-up jump shot. ... This is not normal. This is just not normal.'"

A gift and a curse

At that point, Smith and the rest of his teammates found out why Carter did not want to be known primarily as a dunker. Like greats like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, the North Carolina stand-out could both raise the roof and score from the perimeter and from deep. Team USA asked for his services because he could score the lights out.

Unfortunately, only Smith and some of VC's teammates truly know about his capabilities. Carter is aware that most people merely saw him as a one-dimensional player, but this never bothered the NBA legend.

"I'm never worried about there being a time where I won't be able to be myself," VC said. "I'm not worried about that. But if that time does come, I think I can approach it when it happens. I could score 50 or 60 points in a game, and someone is still going to have something bad to say, like, 'All he did was dunk the ball' or 'All he did was shoot. He didn't guard anybody.'"

The real ones know that Vince is one of the greatest players ever. He affected the game in so many ways. His athleticism was just the tip of the iceberg. But once you dig deep, you'll see Carter's superior IQ and undying love for the game.

This article first appeared on Basketball Network and was syndicated with permission.

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