How soon is too soon? Hall of Famer Vince Carter was an era unto himself. His knowledge of basketball and entertaining playing style made the former Orlando Magic star incredible. There are so many aspiring basketball stars who want to be like him. Vinsanity made a huge impact on the basketball world. And one must work hard to surpass the basketball legend and start sooner than their competitors. As for Carter’s own son? He is starting at just age 5.

At a young age, little Vincent Carter Jr. has already made his decision to play basketball. While it’s definitely too soon for anyone to make it a final decision, this pure moment was just wholesome for the father of three.

Did Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. commit to UNC?

The UNC alumnus recently visited Chapel Hill with his son to watch a game against Duke. What he didn’t expect was that he would get a unique surprise there. His son Carter Jr. was pretty much minding his own business on the courtside before the game until a staff member pulled him onto the court to shoot a basketball.

And the young boy immediately became very nervous and scared. As his father recalled on The VC Show, he was terrified and shaking. And Carter, being the NBA father he is, knew how to help. But in an odd way, he went on to slightly tease his own son. Well, that might have eased his fear and filled him with the confidence to take a chance.

“They asked little man if he wanted to go shoot, and he said no. He was terrified. He was shaking in his boots. I said, ‘I am going to go out there with you. I am not going to leave you by yourself.’ He’s five, but I talk bad about him a little bit. I was like, ‘Oh, if you’re scared, we are just going to go back to the stands and watch the game. Shoulda, coulda, woulda is going to happen and it’s going to be too late,” Carter recalled.

While he might have trash-talked his son a bit, Carter was just happy to see his son wearing a Carolina Carter jersey, out there shooting basketball. It was a thrilling moment for both the father and son. He added, “So, he goes and shoots the first one, and he’s scared just because of the moment and atmosphere. He’s shooting in the big gym instead of the rec center. He had the Carolina Carter jersey on, so that was a cool moment for me.”

However, he continued his tough dad act and booed every time his son missed a shot. But then, it was the crowd’s turn. As Carter Jr. started getting successful with his shots, the crowd cheered. And perhaps this emotion urged Carter Jr. to make a commitment.

As he walked toward his father, he exclaimed that he was ready to sign up for the team. He repeated the sentiment when the staff member approached him again. Carter, who played for more than two decades in the league, set an example for future rising basketball stars.

“We talk junk, and he loves the challenge. He starts knocking shots down, and all of these people start cheering. All of a sudden, maybe it was random, maybe it wasn’t, but the band started playing. All of a sudden, he’s looking at the band and says, ‘Dad, I am ready to sign up for the team,’” Carter said. 

Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. was born to Vince Carter and Sondi Carter

Carter Sr. was drafted as the No. 5 overall by the Golden State Warriors. Before that, he led the Tar Heels to consecutive ACC men’s basketball tournament titles and Final Four appearances in his sophomore and junior years. 

There’s a lot of time until Carter Jr. turns the right age and has to make a decision on what he wants to follow. He will have both his parents to guide him. Carter Jr.’s mother, Sondi Carter, also has a background in sports. She was a gymnast and then became a certified fitness trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She has worked as an intern at the Altheus Health and Performance Centre.

The two share two children, Carter Jr. and a daughter, Vayle Elizabeth Carter. The basketball legend was previously married to Ellen Rucker, a chiropractor, and the two had a daughter, Kai Michelle Carter.

Given both parents’ backgrounds, Carter Jr. will have the right guidance. But now, let’s talk about a winning mentality! It doesn’t come after succeeding; the fire has to be there for an athlete to be successful. At the young age of 5, he wants to follow in the same footsteps as his father. Now, it might be safe to say that this is something that Hall of Famer Carter’s youngest son is looking forward to.