Vince Carter

Vince Carter married Ellen Rucker, a chiropractor, on July 3, 2004, and they had a daughter, Kai Michelle Carter, in June 2005. The couple eventually separated and divorced in 2006.

He is a charitable person who established the Embassy of Hope Foundation to assist needy children and their families in Florida, New Jersey and Toronto. He was recognized as 'Child Advocate of the Year' by the Children's Home Society and received the Florida Governor's 'Points of Light award' as well in 2007.

He also tried his luck at food business with the launch of the restaurant called 'Vince Carter's' in Daytona, Florida in January 2010. The restaurant closed its doors to the customers in February 2016.

Vincent Lamar Carter was born on January 26, 1977 at Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach, Florida to Vince and Michelle Carter. His parents divorced when he was only seven years old, following which his mother, a school teacher, remarried Harry Robinson, also a school teacher.

Young Carter was equally talented in music and sports, and was encouraged by his mother and stepfather to pursue both to have a well-rounded upbringing. Obsessed with basketball since he was only two, he set record by playing on Campbell Junior High School’s varsity basketball team as a starter in his seventh grade.

While studying at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, he played alto, baritone, tenor saxophone in the marching band, led the band as drum major, as well as wrote the school's homecoming song. He was the captain of the school's volleyball team, led its basketball team to the 1994-95 Florida Class 6A championship and was a 1995 McDonald's All-American.

After completing his school graduation in 1995, he chose a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina. He played as part of coach Guthridge's 'Six Starters' system and helped his team win consecutive ACC Men's Basketball Tournament titles, as well as reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament twice.

He declared for the NBA draft in 1998, but continued his studies at North Carolina, from where he graduated with a degree in African-American studies in August 2000.

In 1998, Vince Carter was the fifth-overall draft picked by the Golden State Warriors, but was traded to the Toronto Raptors where he earned the 'NBA Rookie of the Year Award' with 18.3 points average. He averaged 25.7 points in the following season and became a star for helping the team to their first ever play-off appearance in 2000.

He reached a new career high with 27.6 points in the 2000-01 season and helped his team win their first ever playoff series, advancing to Eastern Conference Semifinals, banking on a record 47 wins.

He signed a six-year contract extension in 2001, but missed the final 22 games of the 2001-02 season due to injury, which earned him reputation as a 'fragile player'.

He became the second player after Charles Barkley to register over 40 points, rebounds, five steals and five assists following the match against Denver Nuggets in December 2001.

He missed the 2002 NBA Playoffs due to injury and underwent surgery off-season, but only managed to play 43 and 73 games in the next two seasons.

Vince Carter led the US team to a gold medal win during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He was included in the USA roster for the 2003 FIBA Americas Tournament in place of Kobe Bryant, but gave away the spot due to injury, as well as marriage.