It has been speculated for the better part of two years that Vince Carter would be one of the most sought after free agents in the broadcasting world when his playing days were over. With the Atlanta Hawks failing to qualify for the NBA restart, Carter’s NBA days are officially finished and he is free to enter the media world.
Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports that Vince Carter has found his first full-time home. He will join ESPN as an NBA analyst.
ESPN has not defined Carter’s role at the network yet. The 8-time all-star is coming in with experience to contribute wherever the network sees fit though. Carter has previously gone through the NBAPA’s SportsCaster U camp. He has also done radio and studio analysis for ESPN and Turner. He also called the Jr. NBA Global Championships on FOX last summer.
Carter is an engaging personality. Marchand interviewed him about his broadcasting ambitions last year and asked what kind of broadcaster Carter wanted to be.
“I want to explain the game where you are watching it and say: Ah, that makes sense,” Carter said.
After a spring and summer full of big swings and misses in building a new Monday Night Football booth, it has to be encouraging to ESPN brass that the network didn’t let the hottest name on the market in another sport get away. If Vince Carter is able to live up to his stated goal, ESPN may have the NBA’s answer to Tony Romo on its hands.
