The NBA today launched a shortlist for the 2024 Hall of Fame, and as a long-time post-90s fan, I see a familiar figure.
That is Vince Carter, the king of dunks, and Chancy Billups, the king of grassroots.
Let's take stock of the memories of youth.
The king of dunks, Vince Carter
No. 5 pick in 1998 and announced his retirement in 2022.
He played for 22 seasons and broke the NBA all-time record
With a total of 25,728 career points, he ranks 20th on the all-time scoring list
An 8-time All-Star
1-time All-Star Slam Dunk Champion
1 x Team of the Year, 1 team
1 x Team of the Year 3 times
Although Carter didn't make it to the Finals, he interpreted the violent aesthetics of the dunk, and he may not have jumped the highest, but his movements were stretched, and no one in NBA history could match.
2. The King of the Grassroots, Chauncy Billups
No. 3 pick in 1997 and retired in 2014
He scored a total of 15,802 points in his career.
1-time Finals MVP
Five-time All-Star
1 x Team of the Year, 2 teams
2-time Team of the Year 3 teams
2-time Defensive Team of the Year, 2 teams
Billups may be famous for his contemporaries such as Kobe, Maddie, Duncan, Carter, etc., as his unpretentious style of play.
His most brilliant career was won by the Pistons, leading the Civilians to the Eastern Conference Finals for six consecutive years, including the Finals in the 2000-2001 season, defeating the Lakers F4 (O'Neal, Kobe, Karl Malone, Payton) to win the championship, and became famous.
He's the quintessential big-hearted player, and as long as he's on the pitch, he can help the team win by scoring and assisting.
Now, he has gone from player to coach and continues to shine in the NBA.
If you read this article, you can go to archaeology these two stories, full of passionate memories?
In the 2000-2001 season, the Eastern Conference Finals, the story of the 76ers' Iverson and the Raptors Vince Carter fought seven games.
In the 2003-2004 season, in the finals, the Pistons Five Tigers led by Billups defeated the unbeatable Lakers F4.
At that time, the NBA was the real basketball!