Vince Carter was brought initially to add another All-Star to the mix in an attempt to get Orlando their first championship and now he has to take on the role of indirectly replacing beloved Magic Forward Hedo Turkoglu. Here’s the little bit I heard from Carter during Media Day Monday.
On the Magic last season.
"Their philosophy was second to none. They just made it tough, they just played well at the right time."
On if he will change the offense
"I’ll just give them another scorer, another passer and I think I still have the ability to demand a double team or at least get enough guys to pay attention to me to leave some of our other shooters open, who are knock down shooters. And of course, take some pressure of Dwight. In my opinion, I feel like that’s why I’m here, just to try to make things easier for Dwight and just everybody else on the team. I don’t mind the pressure and all the attention as far as bringing the double teams and what-not. You know, if they want to double team me, we have plenty of guys who can knock down shots. So, that’s what I’m excited about. It’s not, in my mind, about the scoring and putting up big numbers moreso than just getting wins. That’s the goal right now, just getting wins."
One knock on Vince is that he is a selfish player, but Carter is talking about, passing, drawing double teams to get teammates open shots, making things easier for Dwight Howard and most importantly, winning. Doesn’t sound like a selfish player to me.
On joining a team that made the NBA Finals
"It just made me push even harder. I think what I would do in the summer normally had me ready to go each and every day but I was just going harder and harder and harder like I was a 25-year old. They sat me down and they told me, “Just take your time and just progress and do what you normally do.” I just thought it was important to just make sure I was ready before this day. I wanted to be ready a couple weeks before. They’re putting in their time and guys are out here playing and I just wanted to make sure that, hey, they knew that I was just like those guys who were here last year that lost in the finals and they wanted to prepare for next year. My mentality is on the same level as their’s and I didn’t play in the finals, so I just wanted to make sure that I was ready to come to practice one."
On who was trying to stop Carter from overworking himself
"All of them. Just all of the guys. The strength coaches and everything, everybody just saying, “hey, do what you normally do,” but I just felt like I wanted to do a little more just so they knew I was committed to what they are trying to accomplish here as well."
Vince Carter has reportedly worked harder than he has ever worked in his life. He has one goal and it’s the same as the rest of the team, he wants to win the championship. It sounds like nothing less will do.
On Orlando’s inside-out game and how it will change with Carter replace Hedo Turkoglu
"You trying to say I can’t shoot?"
Comparatively speaking?
"I don’t compare, I don’t compare to be honest with you. I come to play. I play my game and I’m going to just do what I’ve been doing for a long time, 11 years. That’s just put the ball in the basket and make plays for others."
On if it’s more of a slashing team now
"Ask Coach Van Gundy… I feel like I can shoot the ball. I’ve shot the ball well in my career and even still, I don’t have to shoot the ball if I can get in the paint and the next guy helps and I’m going to find the guys that can."
On how he stays so mellow
"Oh man, I don’t know. Get some sleep. And a lot of juices and berries. Some said I still couldn’t do it, but I don’t know, I’ve always been able to just play my game since I’ve been in the league. I might not out-run anybody in a foot race but I can still get to the basket."
On how proving he still can play is used as motivation
"I think it will take care of itself. I’m going to go out and try to prove it to everybody. I’ll just step on the court and play my game and I think everybody will see for themselves."
Vince did seem mellow, but he didn’t seem like a comedian like the rest of the team does. He seems to like his teammates but I think he is extremely focused, more focused then he has ever been at any point during his career.
Up next: Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy
(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger. Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)