Vince Carter on Giving 2003 All-Star Spot to Michael Jordan: 'I Ain't No Fool'

NBA veteran Vince Carter has accumulated plenty of stories throughout his long and successful career, but one of the best ones is when he gave up his starting spot in the 2003 All-Star Game to Michael Jordan, who was appearing in his last one. 

Carter recounted the moment during the All the Smoke podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson (2:21:30 mark):

"It was encouraged by the league that it was a good idea. By the powers that be. It was probably a good idea that MJ starts in his last All-Star Game. I ain't no fool, you know what I'm saying? I ain't no fool. First of all, we all look up to MJ and he's a hero. Bruh, that's a memory that nobody else can talk about. That can't be duplicated. Bruh, I got a story—I can tell this story forever. Nobody else can say that."

Getting Jordan to take the starting spot took some convincing, Carter added, as the six-time champion was adamant that Carter had earned the starting gig. Carter eventually told Jordan before the game that he wouldn't come out to play if Jordan didn't take the starting spot. 

That year, the other starters for the Eastern Conference were Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal and Ben Wallace. Carter had fewer votes than McGrady and fewer years in the league than Iverson, making him the logical player to sub out for Jordan. They also played the same position. 

Jordan understood any reservations Carter had about giving up the starting spot.

"It's a Catch-22," Jordan said at the time, per Aaron Dodson of The Undefeated. "If he gives up his spot, some fans will be disappointed. ... That's not the way it's meant to be."

Carter was still announced as the starter during the pregame lineups, though the PA announcer then told the fans that Jordan would be starting in his place.

"I thought it was important that Vince be listed and be acknowledged as the starter," Isiah Thomas, the head coach for the Eastern Conference and the head coach of the Indiana Pacers at the time, told Dodson. "And after giving up his position, we could honor Michael Jordan. I felt like they both should've been acknowledged. ... It was a great stand-up moment, and it spoke volumes to me about the person and the man that Vince Carter is."

It was a memorable game for Jordan, who scored 20 points and hit a go-ahead, vintage fadeaway jumper in overtime to give the East a two-point lead with just 4.8 seconds remaining. 

The Western Conference would go on to win the game in double overtime, 155-145, behind Kevin Garnett's 37 points. But the enduring memory of the game will be Carter giving up his starting spot to Jordan and the NBA legend hitting yet another clutch jumper in overtime.