"I ain't ready to go” - Vince Carter leaned towards staying for his senior year at UNC, unsure of his NBA future

Vince Carter’s decision to leave North Carolina after his junior year wasn’t made impulsively. In fact, the Hall of Famer almost stayed for his senior season, but a combination of tournament success and NBA feedback changed his mind.

Carter joined the Kunckleheads podcast for their 100th episode back in 2022, where he explained the decision-making process that eventually led him to declare for the 1998 NBA Draft. “After my sophomore year, I averaged 20 in 21 in the tournament. And, you know, you just test the water, see what's out there,” he explained. “And I was like, I ain't ready to go. I ain't ready to go.”

Setting a clear goal

Even though the initial response was encouraging, he wasn’t convinced. His teammate and the star player of that UNC team - Antawn Jamison - felt the same. “Twan, same thing. You know what Twan was doing. Yeah. He was like, we ain't think we're ready.,” Vinsanity recalled.

By his junior year, Carter had put together another strong NCAA Tournament performance, but when the Tar Heels lost to Utah in the Final Four, the whole atmosphere around the decision changed.

After testing the waters again, Carter set a clear benchmark for himself - if he was projected to go in the top eight, he would leave for the draft, and if not, he would return for his senior year to UNC.

“So I said top eight. If I wouldn't go in top eight, I was, you know, I figured if I didn't go in top eight, I can come back and maybe be number one.” he said.

When the feedback from the NBA came, it surpassed all expectations. Scouts and executives were delighted by his skill. “And they said, bro, you can possibly go top five. What? Top what? OK. Maybe even the highest top three,” Carter explained, recounting the teams that were in that range - the Los Angeles Clippers, the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Denver Nuggets.

Carter was hesitant about his NBA future

Besides the feedback he received, Carter had one more reason to leave college basketball and try his luck in the pros:  his co-star, Jamison, was set on leaving and attracted genuine interest from top-tier franchises.

At first, Carter was hesitant, unlike his teammate, but in the end, he decided to enter the draft. What helped in solidifying his decision was confidence in his ability to compete at the professional level. “I felt that I was good enough to play in the league at some point. Or at least get a tryout. You know, and it sounds crazy saying that, but that's just the truth of what I thought,” he said.

While he was hoping to make an impact in the NBA, he was much more confident in Jamison, who would go on to earn National Player of the Year honors. And on draft night, they both celebrated as Jamison was drafted fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors and Carter was drafted just one pick later, by the Golden State Warriors. They eventually ended up being traded for one another immediately on draft night.

However, what they didn’t anticipate was the lockout that hit the NBA in that same season, so Carter got some extra time to prepare himself at his old school. The chance to sharpen his skills just before entering the league would prove invaluable to him as he used the period wisely to further develop his game. In the end, his decision to leave after his junior year was right, and he didn’t just leave a mark - he left the basketball community in awe.

Related: Vince Carter said no player had ever faced boos like he did returning to Toronto: "It was painful"

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.