UNC in the NBA: Vince Carter reaches another milestone
Vince Carter moves into fifth-place all-time in made three-pointers
After going 3-for-4 from long-range on Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Vince Carter moved into fifth-place in NBA history for made three-pointers.
His final three-pointer of the game, a corner jumper in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, was the 1,989th of his career and moved him past 10-time NBA All-Star Jason Kidd.
Congrats to Vince Carter, who at age 39 (and just shy of 40-Jan.26), still getting it done from 3. Now, 5th all-time (Ray/Reggie/JT/PP) pic.twitter.com/42E4RrcBOD
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) January 12, 2017
Carter, a 19-year NBA veteran, is one of just three players left in the league from the 1998 NBA Draft class. Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce are the other two. And although all the three players have seen a steep decline in production, each is still a valuable asset to his respective team.
When Carter entered the league, he made a name for himself as a high-flyer and acrobatic dunker. But it’s his ability to shoot the ball that has kept him in the league for so many years, particularly when age took some of the physical abilities that he became known for.
Nov 14, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum (11) defends against Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Carter (15) during the second half at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Memphis won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Carter is still playing an important role for the Grizzlies, who currently occupy seventh-place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Although he hasn’t started a single game, he’s logging 23.6 minutes per game off the bench. Earlier this season, Carter became the oldest player in NBA history to score 20 or more points off the bench.
For the season, Carter is averaging 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. His 24,244 career points rank fourth among active players behind Nowitzki, Lebron James and Pierce.
More from Keeping It Heel
This article originally appeared on 
