San Francisco,
CA-I think it’s time to retire any speculation regarding Vince Carter’s
decision to attend his college graduation ceremony at the University of
North Carolina on Sunday. It was his decision to take the trip, it was
done on his own personal time, it sent a wonderful message to millions
of young people in this country, and it had little to do with the final
shot he took (and missed) against the Iverson-led Philadelphia 76ers in
game seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Vince Carter
has every material reason not to care about a college diploma. He’s a multi-millionaire
and one of the most marketable talents in the world (i.e. the ability to
explode for 50 points against the #1 team in the Eastern Conference), playing
in a league where it seems that there is a strange correlation between
success at his job and an incomplete college education.
Yet, by attending
his graduation, Carter spoke volumes about the personal value of completing
four credited academic years at a major university. In a sport where many
of the players have trouble deciphering the simplest passages of the multi-million
dollar contracts they sign, and where few live lives of the mind, it is
special for a player to assert intellectual independence.
No, it’s extraordinary.
It meant something
to see Carter raise his fist somewhat defiantly to the nay-sayers as his
section was asked to stand and be recognized as graduates of the University
of North Carolina. Though I’m sure that the subtle jabs and jealous remarks
made by teammates with weaker backbones (and smaller minds) about Carter’s
loyalty to the team’s effort passed through his mind during the day, I’m
equally sure Carter recognized that, by attending his college graduation,
a larger point was made.
With game seven
of the Eastern Conference semi-finals looming, Carter said to the world,
"My education, my intellectual independence, is as important to me as the
most important game of my young professional career. I am more than a jock
who can dunk the rock, I am a man who believes that it is important to
cultivate the mind and the spirit."
With an attitude
like this, Carter has set himself apart from the rest of the league. He
is a superstar who understands that living a truly full life involves a
level of personal contemplation not often reached (or pursued) by his peers.
Just to say, "graduation is important," is to suggest that his years at
UNC meant more to him than the 20+ games per season that he played in the
Dean Dome. It suggests that Carter understands what a privilege it is to
be a college graduate who has attained some relatively large degree of
intellectual maturity.
And, to those
who say that Carter’s decision affected his play on Sunday, it must be
asked how much more time one needs to prepare before a game. Afterall,
he did return from the ceremony five hours prior to tip-off.
Life is a personal
path. People frame the important moments of their lives in accordance with
developed social values. Vince Carter values education. He is a proud graduate
of one of this country’s most esteemed universities. Some will say that
last Sunday he was the loser. I’m sure Carter will continue to believe
that on Sunday, he was most assuredly one of the league’s biggest winners.
