Vince Carter
American basketball player (born 1977)
Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who played for 22 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, but occasionally played power forward later in his NBA career. An eight-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Team selection, he played a record 22 seasons in the NBA, tied with LeBron James for the most seasons played in league history. He is also the only player to have played in the NBA in four different decades. In 2024, Carter was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Carter entertained crowds with his leaping ability and slam dunks, earning him nicknames such as "Vinsanity", "Air Canada" (a play on the Canadian airline of the same name), and "Half Man, Half Amazing". He has been ranked as the greatest dunker of all time by numerous players, journalists, and by the NBA.
His Dunk of Death against France during the 2000 Summer Olympics is considered one of the most famous of all time. In addition to his dunking prowess, Carter was a prolific three-point shooter, making the tenth most three-point field goals in league history.
A high school McDonald's All-American, Carter played college basketball for three years with the North Carolina Tar Heels and twice advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. He was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, who traded him to the Toronto Raptors. Carter emerged as a global star in Toronto, winning the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend. He represented the United States in the 2000 Summer Olympics, where he led the team in scoring and captured a gold medal. In December 2004, Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets, where he continued his offensive success. He also played for the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks. He received the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award in 2016. Off the court, Carter established the Embassy of Hope Foundation, helping children and their families in Florida, New Jersey and Ontario. He was recognized in 2000 as Child Advocate of the Year by the Children's Home Society, and received the Florida Governor's Points of Light award in 2007 for his philanthropy in his home state. Carter was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
Early life.
Born in Daytona Beach, Florida, Carter is the son of Michelle and Vincent Carter Sr. His parents divorced when he was seven. His mother remarried several times.
Carter attended Mainland High School in Daytona Beach. He played football as a quarterback until a broken wrist in his freshman year forced him to switch to volleyball. In volleyball, he was named the Volusia County Player of the Year as a junior and averaged 24 kills per match; for comparison, none of his teammates averaged more than one. He was also offered a saxophone scholarship to attend Bethune–Cookman University in Daytona Beach.
He led Mainland's basketball team to its first Class 6A state title in 56 years, and was a 1995 McDonald's All-American. On January 31, 2012, he was designated one of the 35 greatest McDonald's All-Americans.
In his senior year he averaged 22 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.5 blocks per game. Carter's career totals at Mainland are 2,299 points, 1,042 rebounds, 356 assists and 178 steals. He was contacted by 77 NCAA Division I schools but ultimately chose North Carolina over Florida.
College.
Carter enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
He played three seasons of college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels under Dean Smith and later Bill Guthridge. During the 1997–98 season, he was a member of new coach Guthridge's "Six Starters" system that also featured Antawn Jamison, Shammond Williams, Ed Cota, Ademola Okulaja, and Makhtar N'Diaye. During his sophomore and junior seasons, Carter helped North Carolina to consecutive ACC men's basketball tournament titles and Final Four appearances. He finished the 1997–98 season with a 15.6 points per game average and was named second-team All-American, First-Team All-ACC, and to the fan's guide third-annual Coaches ACC All-Defensive Team. In May 1998 after his junior year, Carter declared for the 1998 NBA draft, following his classmate Jamison, who had declared earlier that spring.
During his NBA career, Carter continued his coursework at North Carolina, and in August 2000, he graduated with a degree in Afro-American studies, squeezing in attendance at May 2001 graduation ceremonies at North Carolina before leaving to make a Raptors' playoff game in Philadelphia.
Professional career.
Toronto Raptors (1998–2004).
Carter was initially drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. He was then immediately traded to the Toronto Raptors for the fourth overall pick, Antawn Jamison on draft night. The Raptors had struggled in their first three years as a franchise. Carter was instrumental in leading the Raptors to their first-ever playoff appearance in 2000 before going on to lead them to a 47-win season and their first-ever playoff series win in 2001, advancing them to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Due to the 1998–99 NBA lockout, Carter did not begin playing in the NBA until February 1999. Carter quickly became a fan favorite with a soaring offensive game that earned him the nickname "Air Canada". He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 18.3 points and throwing down countless highlight-reel dunks. Carter ascended to full-fledged stardom in his second season—he averaged 25.7 points per game (fourth-highest in the league) and lifted Toronto to its first playoff appearance in franchise history. He subsequently earned his first NBA All-Star selection and was named to the All-NBA Third Team. During the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend, Carter showcased arguably the most memorable Slam Dunk Contest event in its history. He won the contest by performing an array of dunks including a 360° windmill, a between-the-legs bounce dunk, and an "elbow in the rim" dunk (also known as a "cookie jar" dunk or the "honey dip"). Carter and his second cousin once removed, Tracy McGrady, formed a formidable one-two punch as teammates in Toronto between 1998 and 2000. However, McGrady left in free agency to the Orlando Magic in August 2000, leaving Carter as the Raptors' franchise player.
In 2000–01, his third season, Carter averaged a career-high 27.6 points per game, made the All-NBA Second Team, and was voted in as a starter for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game. The Raptors finished the regular season with a then franchise-record 47 wins. In the playoffs, the Raptors beat the New York Knicks 3–2 in the first round and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals to face off against the Philadelphia 76ers. Carter and 76ers star Allen Iverson both dominated in a seven-game series that see-sawed back and forth. Carter scored 50 points in Game 3 and set an NBA playoff record for most three-point field goals made in one game. In Game 7, Carter missed a potential game-winning shot with 2.0 seconds remaining. Iverson said of the series in July 2011: "It was incredible. (Carter) had great games at home and I had some great games at home, but both of us were just trying to put our teams on our back and win basketball games. It is great just having those memories and being a part of something like that."
In August 2001, Carter signed a six-year contract extension worth as much as $94 million. Carter missed the final 22 games of the 2001–02 regular season due to injury. He started in 60 games and averaged 24.7 points per game. On December 7, 2001, Carter recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals against the Denver Nuggets. He joined Charles Barkley (1988) as just the second player ever to finish a game with 40 points, 15 rebounds, five steals and five assists, dating back to the 1973–74 season, when the league began officially tracking steals. He was voted into the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, but he could not participate due to injury. Without Carter during the playoffs, the Raptors were defeated in five games by the Detroit Pistons in the first round.
Following off-season surgery, Carter only managed 43 games during the 2002–03 season. In February 2003, Carter gave up his starting spot in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game to Michael Jordan to allow Jordan to make his final start as an All-Star. Carter played in 73 games during the 2003–04 season, but the Raptors fell three games short of making the playoffs.
Trade to the Nets.
During the 2004 off-season, general manager Glen Grunwald and the entire coaching staff were fired. Following trade rumours all season long, on December 17, 2004, new general manager Rob Babcock traded Carter to the New Jersey Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams and two first round draft picks.
In his first game back in Toronto, on April 15, 2005, Carter was heavily booed and jeered by Raptors fans. Carter would finish with 39 points in a 101–90 New Jersey victory. Carter continued to receive similar treatment for years to come in the town that once embraced him. Despite this, he thrived on many occasions in Toronto as a Net. On January 8, 2006, after a missed free throw by the Raptors, Carter hit a long three pointer at the other end with 0.1 seconds left to seal a 105–104 win to shock the Toronto crowd. Afterwards Carter, who finished with 42 points, referred to it among his greatest shots ever saying "That's definitely number one. The atmosphere, the emotion, the hostility in the arena, it was a fun game." On November 21, 2008, Carter's late game heroics sent the game into overtime where he would hit another game winner doing so on an inbounds alley-oop dunk with 1.5 seconds left in a 129–127 victory. Carter scored 39 points and regarding the continued booing he insisted he held no grudges to the fans "I know, deep down, that's just sports, that's the way it goes. I root for my team and I'm a terrible fan."
In November 2011, Carter, along with Tracy McGrady and Charles Oakley, addressed the Toronto audience in an interview on "Off the Record with Michael Landsberg". When asked about being booed in Toronto, Carter said, "They watched myself and Tracy grow up. And when we left they still got to see (us) flourish and become (who we are). For me, I looked at it as, a young child growing up into a grown man and moving on. And I get it. Leaving, hurt a lot of people. It hurt me because I tell you what... I accomplished a lot, I learned a lot, I became the person and player of who I am today because of that experience, through the coaches, players, and everything else. I get it... but regardless I still love the city. I have friends there and my heart is still there because that's where it all started." Later in the interview, when asked about any words to the Toronto fans, Carter said, "I appreciate the fans and whether you cheer for me, boo me, or hate me, I still love you. Toronto's one of the best kept secrets... puts one of the best products on the floor and one of the top places to play in."
On November 6, 2012, in an interview with TSN Radio 1050, Carter reiterated his love for the city and his appreciation for the Toronto Raptors organization. The next day, Sam Mitchell and Rob Babcock revealed on Sportsnet 590, The Fan that the night before Carter was traded to New Jersey, Carter phoned Mitchell to express his desire to stay in Toronto. However, Babcock said it was too late and the trade had already been verbally agreed upon. Looking back on it, Mitchell feels he should have personally contacted the MLSE chairman, Larry Tanenbaum, but was reluctant because he did not want to break the chain of command.
Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri referred to Carter in April 2014 as "one of the symbols of the Toronto Raptors." To this day, Carter remains as one of the Raptors' elite scorers in franchise history having amassed 9,420 points and is Toronto's all-time leader in points per game, box plus/minus and player efficiency rating during his <templatestyles src="Fraction/styles.css" />6+1⁄2-year run in Toronto.
On November 19, 2014, nearly a decade after the trade, as a part of the Raptors' 20th anniversary celebration, the team paid tribute to Carter with a video montage during the first quarter of the Raptors–Grizzlies game. Leading up to the game, questions were raised about how Raptors fans would receive the planned video tribute. As the sellout crowd watched the video tribute featuring highlights of Carter's high-flying Raptors days, what began as the usual booing turned into an overwhelmingly positive standing ovation. An emotional Carter used his warm-up shirt to wipe tears running down his face as he pointed to his heart and waved to the fans in appreciation. He later stated, "It was a great feeling, I couldn't write it any better."
New Jersey Nets (2004–2009).
Carter was acquired by the New Jersey Nets on December 17, 2004, playing five seasons for them before departing in June 2009. Carter produced some of his highest numbers with the Nets, surpassing his 23.4 points per game with the Raptors to average 23.6 points per game over his tenure in New Jersey. He missed just 11 games in his four full seasons and helped lead the Nets to three straight playoff runs between 2005 and 2007.
Carter joined a Nets team with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson as the leading players. However, the trio never got to play together at full strength during the 2004–05 season. Carter and Kidd carried a shallow roster on a 15–4 run to end the season to make the playoffs.
In the 2005–06 season, the Carter-Kidd duo co-led the Nets to 49 wins, an Atlantic Division title, and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. Carter helped lead the Nets to the second round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual NBA champions Miami Heat in five games. Carter averaged 29.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 11 playoff games. Carter was named an Eastern Conference All-Star in 2006. On November 7, 2005, Carter threw down a very memorable dunk against the Miami Heat, over defensive stalwart, Alonzo Mourning. On December 23, 2005, Carter set an NBA record for the most free throws made in a quarter (4th quarter) with 16 against Miami. He tied his career-high of 51 points in the same game.
In the 2006–07 season, Carter was named as a reserve to the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, marking his eighth All-Star appearance. In a 120–114 overtime win over the Washington Wizards on April 7, 2007, Carter and Kidd became the first teammates in over 18 years to record triple-doubles in the same game since the Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen achieved this feat against the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989. Carter finished with 46 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kidd finished with 10 points, tied a career high with 16 rebounds, and tied a season high with 18 assists. Carter finished the 2006–07 season playing all 82 games, averaging over 25 points with a 21 PER.
In July 2007, Carter re-signed with the Nets to a four-year, $61.8 million contract.
During the 2007–08 season, Kidd was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Carter was credited for becoming a leader following the All-Star break. He became captain of the Nets, and in 2008–09, he and teammate Devin Harris were the highest-scoring starting backcourt in the league. On November 21, 2008, Carter scored a season-high 39 points, including a game winning two-handed reverse dunk, as the Nets battled back from an 18-point deficit to defeat the Toronto Raptors 129–127 in overtime at the Air Canada Centre. He hit a 29-foot, game tying three-pointer to send the game into overtime and then scored the winning basket in the extra period. On February 3, 2009, Carter recorded his fifth career triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a 99–85 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Orlando Magic (2009–2010).
On June 25, 2009, Carter was traded, along with Ryan Anderson, to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee. Orlando hoped Carter would provide center Dwight Howard with a perimeter scorer who can create his own shot—something the Magic had lacked when they were defeated in the 2009 NBA Finals by the Los Angeles Lakers. On February 8, 2010, Carter had a season-high 48 points, 34 in the second half, when the Magic rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat the New Orleans Hornets 123–117. Carter helped the Magic reach the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated 4–2 by the Boston Celtics.
Phoenix Suns (2010–2011).
On December 18, 2010, Carter was acquired by the Phoenix Suns along with Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, and a first-round draft pick in 2011 NBA draft in exchange for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Earl Clark. On January 17, 2011, Carter recorded 29 points and 12 rebounds in a 129–121 win over the New York Knicks. He reached 20,000 career points during the game, becoming the 37th NBA player to reach that plateau.
On December 9, 2011, following the conclusion of the NBA lockout, Carter was waived by the Suns, meaning the team only had to pay him $4 million of the $18 million he was due for the 2011–12 season. Carter appeared in 51 games with 41 starts, averaging 13.5 points while shooting 42 percent.
Dallas Mavericks (2011–2014).
On December 12, 2011, Carter signed a three-year contract with the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. This move reunited Carter with former Nets teammate Jason Kidd. On April 20, 2012, against the Golden State Warriors, Carter became the eighth player in NBA history with 1,500 3-pointers when he made one in the closing minutes.
While known early on in his career for his circus dunks, Carter became known for his 3-point shooting with the Mavericks. On February 13, 2013, in a 123–100 win over the Sacramento Kings, Carter scored 26 points to pass Larry Bird on the NBA's career scoring list, moving him into 29th place. Carter turned aside a Sacramento rally in the third quarter by going 5 of 7 from long range and scoring 17 of Dallas' last 21 points in the period. He ended the night with 21,796 career points for 29th on the all-time list, five ahead of Bird. He also became the 11th NBA player with at least 1,600 3-pointers. He finished the season ranked 27th on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 22,223 career points. His 162 3-pointers tied his career high for 3s made in a season (162-of-397, .408, with Toronto in 2000–01). Over the course of the season, he advanced from 17th place to 11th place on the NBA's all-time 3-point field goals made list (passing Nick Van Exel, Tim Hardaway, Eddie Jones, Glen Rice, Jason Richardson and Kobe Bryant), finishing the year with 1,663 career 3-pointers.
Prior to the 2013–14 season, Carter established himself as the Mavericks' sixth man, after the departure of Jason Terry. He averaged just 10.5 points and shot 37.6% from the field during the first 22 games of the season due to increased responsibilities and pressure to be the team's lone scoring punch off of the bench. He saw his numbers improve in December, averaging 12.5 points and shooting 44.3% from the field during an 18-game stretch. On March 16, 2014, against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Carter raised his career total to 23,010 points, becoming the 27th NBA player to pass the 23,000-point mark with a 3-pointer with 2:17 left in the third quarter. In Game 3 of the Mavericks' first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, Carter drilled the game-winning 3-pointer with no time remaining on the clock to give the eighth-seeded Mavericks a 109–108 win and a 2–1 series edge over the top-seeded Spurs. The Mavericks went on to lose the series in seven games.
Memphis Grizzlies (2014–2017).
2014–15 season.
On July 12, 2014, Carter signed a multi-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. On November 13, 2014, he made a game winning alley-oop assist from the sideline to teammate Courtney Lee at the buzzer to win the game 111–110 over the Sacramento Kings. On December 17, 2014, Carter scored a season-high 18 points in a 117–116 triple overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs. Carter moved into 25th in all-time NBA scoring during the game, passing Robert Parish (23,334).
2015–16 season.
Carter appeared in just one of the Grizzlies' first 12 games of the 2015–16 season. On February 24, 2016, with nine points scored against the Los Angeles Lakers, Carter passed Charles Barkley (23,757) for 24th in career points scored. Two days later, he scored a season-high 19 points in a 112–95 win over the Lakers. For the latter half of April and the whole first round playoff series against the Spurs, Carter was inserted in the starting lineup and played well. In Game 1 against the Spurs, Carter scored a team-high 16 points in a 106–74 loss. The Grizzlies went on to lose the series in four games. After finishing second behind Tim Duncan in the 2014–15 season, Carter was awarded with the Twyman–Stokes Teammate of the Year Award for the 2015–16 season. The award recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.
2016–17 season.
On November 1, 2016, Carter played in his 1,278th NBA game, tying him with A.C. Green for 25th on the NBA's career list. He also became the 24th player in NBA history to surpass 24,000 career points. On November 8, he scored 20 points against the Denver Nuggets and became the oldest player in the NBA to post a 20-point game since Michael Jordan scored 25 for the Washington Wizards in April 2003, at age 40. It was also Carter's first 20-point game since April 30, 2014. On November 12, Carter made seven field goals against the Milwaukee Bucks to pass Gary Payton (8,708) for 21st in NBA history. Carter also passed Charles Oakley for 24th on the NBA's career games played list with 1,283. On November 14, in a win over the Utah Jazz, Carter had his second 20-point game of the season, joining Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing as the only players in NBA history to put up 20 points and 5+ rebounds off the bench at the age of 39, with Carter being the oldest at 39 years and 287 days. Carter missed seven games in early December with a right hip flexor strain. On January 11, Carter hit his 1,989th career three-pointer to move ahead of Jason Kidd and into fifth on the all-time list. On February 1, in a game against the Denver Nuggets, Carter hit his 2,000th career three-pointer, making him only the fifth player to ever reach that mark. On February 6 against San Antonio, Carter joined Karl Malone, Dikembe Mutombo, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parish as the only 40-year-old players to record at least four blocks in a game. On February 15, in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Carter passed Allen Iverson for 23rd on the NBA all-time scoring list. On March 13, Carter made his first start of the season and made all eight of his shots, including six from beyond the arc, to score a season-high 24 points and lead the Grizzlies past the Milwaukee Bucks 113–93. He became the first 40-year-old in NBA history to hit six triples in one game. At 40 years, 46 days old, Carter also became the oldest player to start an NBA game since Juwan Howard in April 2013. On March 29 against the Indiana Pacers, Carter passed Ray Allen for 22nd on the NBA all-time scoring list. In the Grizzlies' regular-season finale on April 12 against the Dallas Mavericks, Carter played in his 1,347th game and passed Kobe Bryant for 13th in regular-season games played. On April 22, Carter became the first 40-year-old to make three or more 3-pointers in a playoff game during Game 4 of the Grizzlies' first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs.
Sacramento Kings (2017–2018).
On July 10, 2017, Carter signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Sacramento Kings. On August 18, 2017, during the Players Voice Awards, Carter was named by the NBA Players Association as the Most Influential Veteran. Carter missed seven games early in the season with a kidney stone. On December 27, 2017, Carter scored a season-high 24 points in a 109–95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the first time in NBA history that a 40-plus-year-old reserve scored at least 20 points in a game. He shot 10-of-12 from the field in 30 minutes off the bench, with his 83 percent shooting marking the second highest percentage of his career. On January 28, 2018, against the San Antonio Spurs, Carter and Manu Ginóbili scored 21 and 15 points respectively; it was the first game in NBA history where two players over the age of 40 each scored at least 15 points. On March 19, 2018, in a 106–90 loss to the Detroit Pistons, Carter had seven points to move past Patrick Ewing into 22nd place on the NBA's career scoring list. At the season's end, he was named the recipient of the NBPA's Backbone Award and Most Respected Award, as part of the Players Voice Awards.
Atlanta Hawks (2018–2020).
2018–19 season.
On August 24, 2018, Carter signed with the Atlanta Hawks. In his debut for the Hawks on October 17, 2018, Carter started at forward and scored 12 points in a 126–107 loss to the New York Knicks, becoming the second oldest player in NBA history to start a season opener at 41 years and 264 days old. Only Robert Parish (42 years and 65 days old) was an older opening-night NBA starter than Carter. On November 21, he scored 14 points off the bench in a 124–108 loss to the Toronto Raptors, and became the 22nd player in NBA history to reach 25,000 career points. The milestone moment, which happened in the final seconds of the game, was made even more memorable for coming via a slam dunk and also for coming against his original team who joined in congratulating him on the court. On December 29, he scored an equal team-high 21 points in 111–108 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was his first game with 20 points for Atlanta and became the oldest player in history to lead or tie for the team lead in scoring. He also became the oldest player in NBA history to score 20+ points at 41 years and 337 days old, breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record by 6 days. On February 7, 2019, against the Raptors, Carter passed Jerry West for 21st on the NBA's all-time scoring list. On March 1, 2019, he logged the second-most minutes for the Hawks in a 168–161 quadruple-overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls. At 42, Carter became the oldest player in NBA history to play at least 45 minutes in a game. On March 4, he scored 21 points, all on 3-pointers, in a 114–113 loss to the Miami Heat. He thus surpassed Reggie Miller for 20th on the all-time scoring list, passed Jamal Crawford for sixth on the all-time 3-point field goals made list, became the oldest player to shoot seven 3-pointers, and broke his own record of being the oldest player to score 20+ points in a game at 42 years old. On March 31, against the Milwaukee Bucks, Carter passed Karl Malone for fifth place on the all-time games played list with his 1,477th game.
2019–20 season.
In June 2019, Carter stated that he was planning to retire at the end of the 2019–20 NBA season. On September 20, 2019, Carter re-signed with the Hawks and played his first game on October 24, 2019, making his 22nd season official. Four of Carter's teammates were born after he was drafted in 1998. On December 10, 2019, he became the fifth player in NBA history to play at least 1,500 games. On January 4, 2020, during a 116–111 win over the Indiana Pacers, Carter became the only player in NBA history to have played in four different decades. On January 22, 2020, Carter moved past Alex English for 19th on the NBA all-time scoring list. On January 31, 2020, Carter moved up to 3rd place in all-time NBA games played with 1,523 passing Dirk Nowitzki in the process. On March 11, 2020, Carter returned to the floor in the final seconds of a game against the New York Knicks, making a three-pointer. That game became Carter's final game; the NBA suspended the season that day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Carter officially announced his retirement from the NBA on June 25, 2020, at the age of 43.
National team career.
Carter played for head coach Kelvin Sampson on the United States men's national under-19 team at the 1995 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Athens. He and Samaki Walker tied for the team lead in blocks in the team's eight games.
During the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Carter led the U.S. in scoring averaging 14.8 points a game. He also performed one of the most memorable dunks of his career when he jumped over French center Frédéric Weis. Teammate Jason Kidd said "It was one of the best plays I've ever seen." The French media later dubbed it "le dunk de la mort" ("the Dunk of Death"). The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal that year. Carter admitted he channeled his frustrations in his personal life and Tracy McGrady leaving the Raptors before the Olympics. The dunk is widely considered one of the greatest and most famous of all time.
Carter replaced Kobe Bryant on the USA roster for the 2003 FIBA Americas Tournament while Bryant was undergoing surgeries on his knee and shoulder. He wore Bryant's jersey number 8. Bryant was supposed to take his spot back in time for the 2004 Olympics, but would later withdraw due to allegations of sexual assault. Carter was offered the Olympic spot but chose instead to take time off during the summer to rest and heal, as well as to get married.
Other pursuits.
Carter opened a restaurant named for himself in Daytona Beach in 2010. His mother operated the restaurant. They sold it in January 2017 for $4.3 million .
Carter signed a sponsorship deal with Puma prior to his first NBA season, and his first signature shoe, the Puma Vinsanity, was released. However Carter broke his contract with Puma prematurely, citing the "shoes were hurting his feet" and played out the rest of the 1999–2000 NBA season in various brands. Prior to the 2000 Summer Olympics, Carter signed with Nike as a 'signature athlete' and his first signature Nike Shox shoe, a Nike Shox BB4 PE, debuted and released publicly in 2000 to coincide with the Olympic games. Nike released five other signature Shox models bearing Carter's initials. During his final season, Nike commemorated Carter's 22 year NBA career by publicly re-releasing his first Nike signature shoe, the Shox BB4.
On September 17, 2020, ESPN announced that Carter had signed a multi-year contract with them, serving as an NBA and college basketball analyst. In July 2023, it was reported that ESPN will not renew Carter's contract during a series of big-name layoffs for the network. On October 24, 2023, Carter was reported to have joined YES Network as a part-time analyst for Brooklyn Nets games.
Vince Carter also works as a part-time Hawks tv Analyst.
Carter was part of a coalition that, along with several private equity executives, his former teammate Tracy McGrady, and Jozy Altidore, purchased a minority stake in the National Football League's Buffalo Bills from the Pegula family in December 2024.
Awards and achievements.
Carter is the only player in NBA history to have appeared in a game in four different decades. Carter holds fourth place on the list of the oldest players to compete in the NBA. He is one of six players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game in 10 straight seasons. He is also one of six players in league history to record 24,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, 2,500 assists, 1,000 steals and 1,000 3-point field goals. Carter currently holds the record for the most game-winning 3 point buzzer beaters in NBA history.
On November 2, 2024, Carter's jersey was retired by the Raptors, making him the first Raptors player to have his jersey retired by the franchise.
On January 25, 2025, Carter's jersey was retired by the Nets.
Personal life.
Carter married Ellen Rucker, a chiropractor, in July 2004; the couple divorced in 2006. They have one daughter together. Carter is now married to Sondi Carter, an NASM trainer. They have a son and a daughter.
Carter has donated to his high school, Mainland High School, and he established charitable foundation, The Embassy of Hope, upon being drafted into the NBA in 1998. On February 3, 2007, a statue of Carter was unveiled at Mainland.
Carter visited with the Duquesne University men's basketball team in Pittsburgh as a show of support after five of its players were shot in September 2006.
Carter is also the second cousin of NBA player Tracy McGrady, whose grandmother was the sister of Carter's step-great-grandfather. They were teammates with the Raptors in 1998–2000. Both players were unaware of the relation until a family reunion in 1997.
Career statistics.
College.
"Source"
References.
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Microchip implant (animal)
Implant used in animals
A microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of an animal. The chip, about the size of a large grain of rice, uses passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, and is also known as a PIT (passive integrated transponder) tag. Standard pet microchips are typically 11–13 mm long (approximately <templatestyles src="Fraction/styles.css" />1⁄2 inch) and 2 mm in diameter.
Externally attached microchips such as RFID ear tags are commonly used to identify farm and ranch animals, with the exception of horses. Some external microchips can be read with the same scanner used with implanted chips.
Animal shelters, animal control officers and veterinarians routinely look for microchips to return lost pets quickly to their owners, avoiding expenses for housing, food, medical care, outplacing and euthanasia. Many shelters place chips in all outplaced animals.
Microchips are also used by kennels, breeders, brokers, trainers, registries, rescue groups, humane societies, clinics, farms, stables, animal clubs and associations, researchers, and pet stores.
Usage.
Since their first use in the mid-1980s, microchips have allowed innovative investigations into numerous biological traits of animals. The tiny, coded markers implanted into individual animals allow assessment of growth rates, movement patterns, and survival patterns for many species in a manner more reliable than traditional approaches of externally marking animals for identification. Microchips have also been used to confirm the identity of pets and protected species that have been illegally removed from the wild.
Microchips can be implanted by a veterinarian or at a shelter. After checking that the animal does not already have a chip, the vet or technician injects the chip with a syringe and records the chip's unique ID. No anesthetic is required, as it is a simple procedure and causes little discomfort; the pain is minimal and short-lived. In dogs and cats, chips are usually inserted below the skin at the back of the neck between the shoulder blades on the dorsal midline. According to one reference, continental European pets get the implant in the left side of the neck. The chip can often be felt under the skin. Thin layers of connective tissue form around the implant and hold it in place.
Horses are microchipped on the left side of the neck, halfway between the poll and withers and approximately one inch below the midline of the mane, into the nuchal ligament.
Birds are implanted in their breast muscles. Proper restraint is necessary so the operation requires either two people (an avian veterinarian and a veterinary technician) or general anesthesia. Studies on horses show swelling and increased sensitivity take approximately three days to resolve. Humans report swelling and bruising at the time of implant, two to four weeks for scar tissue to form and itching and pinching sensations for up to two years. A test scan ensures correct operation.
Some shelters and vets designate themselves as the primary contact to remain informed about possible problems with the animals they place. The form is sent to a registry, who may be the chip manufacturer, distributor or an independent entity such as a pet recovery service. Some countries have a single official national database. For a fee, the registry typically provides 24-hour, toll-free telephone service for the life of the pet. Some veterinarians leave registration to the owner, usually done online, but a chip without current contact information is essentially useless.
The owner receives a registration certificate with the chip ID and recovery service contact information. The information can also be imprinted on a collar tag worn by the animal. Like an automobile title, the certificate serves as proof of ownership and is transferred with the animal when it is sold or traded; an animal without a certificate could be stolen. There are some privacy concerns regarding the use of microchips.
Authorities and shelters examine strays for chips, providing one of the aforementioned recovery services with the ID number, description and location so that the recovery service may notify the owner, a contact, or veterinarians in the area. If the pet is wearing the collar tag, the finder does not need a chip reader to contact the registry because a rescuer can simply read the ID number and phone number (or website) to provide to the registry. An owner can also report a missing pet to the recovery service, as vets look for chips in new animals and check with the recovery service to see if it has been reported lost or stolen.
Many veterinarians scan an animal's chip on every visit to verify correct operation. Some use the chip ID as their database index and print it on receipts, test results, vaccination certifications and other records.
Some veterinary tests and procedures require positive identification of the animal, and a microchip may be acceptable for this purpose as an alternative to a tattoo.
Some pet doors can be programmed to be activated by the microchips of specific animals, allowing only certain animals to use the door.
Advantages of data collection.
Pets.
There are multiple reasons for the use of the microchips on pets as a documentation device, which are also advantages of microchips regarding information collection. The three major reasons for microchip implantation are , recording, domestication and showing proof of ownership. For example, with a feline microchip, delocalization shows that a registered cat is one that society is aware of and the cat has a position in the social order of animals. Recording shows that the microchip helps authorized people review and monitor cats in a certain region by referring to the database; thus the registry and the implanted microchips transform cats into social objects.
Livestock.
Due to the advantages of microchips, there are many concrete applications of RFID in the agri-food sector covering the majority of usual foods, such as all kinds of meats as well as various vegetables, fruits. The feature of RFID, namely its traceability, makes it possible for the increased security and confidence of customers. As one of the most popular livestock around the world, the health condition of pigs is vital to farmer's income and inevitably influence customers' health. It is challenging to monitor the pigs' health condition individually by using traditional approaches. It is common for diseases to spread from a single pig to nearly all the pigs living in the same pigsty. By adopting the technology of microchips to measure the drinking behavior of individual pigs housed in a group, it is possible to identify a pig's health and productivity state. This kind of behavior is a good indicator of a pig's overall health. Compared to traditional visual observations to determine the pig's health state, RFID-based monitoring of pig drinking behavior is a feasible and more efficient option.
Wildlife.
Using microchips in wild animals in biology began with fisheries studies to determine the efficacy of this method for measuring fish movement. Later, studies that use microchips to track wild animals expanded over the years, including researches on mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians. Compared with previous marking and tagging techniques used to identify wild animals before the advent of microchips, such as ear tags and color-coded leg bands, microchips are visually less obvious and less likely to be detected by prey and predators. Due to the fact that traditional identifications are on the exterior of the animal, tags can be lost, scars can heal and tattoos can fade.
Other useful and significant information can be collected by microchips. Chipped wild animals that are recaptured can provide information on growth rate and change of location, as well as other valuable data such as age structure, sex ratios, and longevity of individuals in the wild. Other researches on small mammals like rats and mice also adopt this technology to determine body temperature of terminally ill animals. As microchips are internal, permanent, durable under harsh environments, and have little influence on animals, more scholars have employed microchip implantation to collect useful data on wildlife researches.
Components of a microchip.
A microchip implant is a passive RFID device. Lacking an internal power source, it remains inert until it is powered by the scanner or another power source. While the chip itself only interacts with limited frequencies, the device also has an antenna that is optimized for a specific frequency, but is not selective. It may receive, generate current with, and reradiate stray electromagnetic waves. The radio-waves emitted by the scanner activate the chip, making the chip transmit the identification number to the scanner, and the scanner displays the number on screen. The microchip is enclosed in a biocompatible glass cylinder and includes an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of an animal. Relevant standards for the chips are ISO 11784 and ISO 11785.
Most implants contain three elements: a 'chip' or integrated circuit, a coil inductor, possibly with a ferrite core, and a capacitor. The chip contains unique identification data and electronic circuits to encode that information. The coil acts as the secondary winding of a transformer, receiving power inductively coupled to it from the scanner. The coil and capacitor together form a resonant LC circuit tuned to the frequency of the scanner's oscillating magnetic field to produce power for the chip. The chip then transmits its data back through the coil to the scanner. The way the chip communicates with the scanner is a method called backscatter. It becomes part of the electromagnetic field and modulates it in a manner that communicates the ID number to the scanner.
These components are encased in biocompatible soda lime or borosilicate glass and hermetically sealed. Leaded glass should not be used for pet microchips and consumers should only accept microchips from reliable sources. The glass is also sometimes coated with polymers. Parylene C (chlorinated poly-dimethylbenzene) has become a common coating. Plastic pet microchips have been registered in the international registry since 2012 under Datamars manufacturer code 981 and are being implanted in pets. The patent suggests it is a silicone filled polyester sheath, but the manufacturer does not disclose the exact composition.
Use by country.
Some countries require microchips in imported animals to match vaccination records. Microchip tagging may also be required for CITES-regulated international trade in certain endangered animals: for example, Asian Arowana are tagged to limit import to captive-bred fish. Birds that are not banded and cross international borders as pets or for trade are microchipped so that each bird is uniquely identifiable.
Australia.
Microchips are legally required in the state of New South Wales, Australia.
Because the ability to trace livestock from property of birth to slaughter is critical to the safety of red meat, the Australian red meat industry has implemented a national system known as National Livestock Identification System to ensure the quality and safety of beef, lamb, sheep meat and goat meat. There are weaknesses in the current microchipping system in Australia. According to several pieces of researches in 2015, reclaim rates were significantly higher for animals with microchips than those without microchips, which is based on the statistical analysis of the raw data of dogs and cats living in Australia as well as microchipped animals. To determine the character and the frequency of inaccurate microchip data used for locating owners of stray pets, the researchers also analyzed admission data for stray dogs and cats entering shelters called RSPCA-Queensland (QLD). The results show that the problem of microchip data may reduce the possibility that a pet's owner will be contacted to reclaim the animal. It is necessary that the current microchipping system in Australia be perfect and that microchip owners update their data frequently.
France.
Since 1999, all dogs older than four months must be permanently identified with a microchip (or a tattoo, though the latter is not accepted if the animal is to leave the country).
Cats are not required to be microchipped, though 2019 recorded increased support for mandatory chipping. Instead, since 1 January 2012, all cats older than seven months require mandatory registration in the European Union database.
Israel.
Dogs and cats imported to Israel are required to be microchipped with an ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15 digit pet microchip.
Japan.
Japan requires an ISO 11784 and 11785 compliant microchip implant for dogs and cats handled by breeders and pet shops, as well as for all imported dogs and cats. Additionally, microchipping is mandatory for certain invasive species that threaten Japan’s ecosystems or agriculture, as well as for special animals classified as dangerous to human life, health, or property.
The Act on Welfare and Management of Animals (Act No. 105 of 1973) requires owners and pet sellers to register microchipped dogs and cats with the Ministry of the Environment database and update registration details as needed. When transferring ownership of a registered dog or cat, the Registration Certificate must accompany the animal. The Act prohibits microchip removal unless it poses a risk to the animal's health or falls under other exceptional cases.
The ISO 11784 standard defines a 15-digit microchip code, split into a 3-digit country code and a 12-digit National ID Code. The Japan Veterinary Medical Association introduced a system in 1995 that includes Japan’s numeric country code (392), followed by a 2-digit animal code, a 2-digit distributor code, and a unique 8-digit identification number.
New Zealand.
All dogs first registered after 1 July 2006 must be microchipped. Farmers protested that farm dogs should be exempt, drawing a parallel to the Dog Tax War of 1898. Farm dogs were exempted from microchipping in an amendment to the legislation passed in June 2006. A National Animal Identification and Tracing scheme in New Zealand is currently being developed for tracking livestock.
United Kingdom.
In April 2012, Northern Ireland became the first part of the United Kingdom to require microchipping of individually licensed dogs.
As of 6 April 2016, all dogs in England, Scotland and Wales must be microchipped.
All pet cats in England must be microchipped by 10 June 2024. Owners found not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 days to have one implanted, or may face a fine of up to £500.
United States.
Microchipping of pets and other animals is voluntary except for some legislation mandating microchipping as a means of identifying animals who have been identified as being dangerous. Though, California law requires any animal control agency, shelter or rescue to only release a cat or dog, including to the owner, if they are microchipped or will be within 30 days. In 1994, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) issued a regulation requiring permanent identification (in the form of a brand, lip tattoo or electronic identification) of all horses tested for equine infectious anemia. According to the LDAF and the state veterinarian, this requirement made contributed to better determining the owners of horses displaced during Hurricane Katrina in fall 2005.
The United States uses the National Animal Identification System for farm and ranch animals, which excludes dogs and cats. In most species, except horses, an external eartag is typically used in lieu of an implant microchip. Eartags with microchips or simply stamped with a visible number can be used. Both use ISO fifteen-digit microchip numbers with the U.S. country code of 840.
Cross-compatibility and standards issues.
In most countries, pet ID chips adhere to an international standard to promote compatibility between chips and scanners. In the United States, however, three proprietary types of chips compete along with the international standard. Scanners distributed to United States shelters and veterinarians well into 2006 could each read at most three of the four types. Scanners with quad-read capability are now available and are increasingly considered required equipment. Older scanner models will be in use for some time, so United States pet owners must still choose between a chip with good coverage by existing scanners and one compatible with the international standard. The four types include:
Many references in print state that the incompatibilities between different chip types are a matter of "frequency". One may find claims that early ISO adopters in the United States endangered their customers' pets by giving them ISO chips that work at a "different frequency" from the local shelter's scanner, or that the United States government considered forcing an incompatible frequency change. These claims were little challenged by manufacturers and distributors of ISO chips, although later evidence suggests the claims were disinformation. All chips operate at the scanner's frequency. Although ISO chips are optimized for 134.2 kHz, in practice they are readable at 125 kHz and the "125 kHz" chips are readable at 134.2 kHz. Confirmation comes from government filings that indicate the supposed "multi-frequency" scanners now commonly available are really single-frequency scanners operating at 125, 134.2 or 128 kHz. In particular, the United States HomeAgain scanner didn't change excitation frequency when ISO-read capability was added; it's still a single frequency, 125 kHz scanner.
For users requiring shelter-grade certainty, this table is not a substitute for testing the scanner with a set of specimen chips. One study cites problems with certain Trovan chips on the Datamars Black Label scanner. In general, the study found none of the tested scanners to read all four standards without some deficiency, but it predates the most recent scanner models.
Reported adverse reactions.
Adverse event reporting for animal microchips has been inconsistent. RFID chips are used in animal research, and at least three studies conducted since the 1990s have reported tumors at the site of implantation in laboratory mice and rats. The UK's Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) assumed the task of adverse event reporting for animal microchips there in April 2014. Mandatory adverse event reporting went into effect in the UK in February 2015. The first report was issued for the period of April 2014 through December 2015. Mandatory microchip implant of dogs went into effect in April 2016. Data sets for 2016 through 2018 have become available. Adverse reactions to microchip implants may include infection, rejection, mass and tumor formation or death, but the risk of adverse reactions is very low. Sample sizes, in rodents and dogs in particular, have been small, and so conclusive evidence has been limited.
Noted veterinary associations have responded with continued support for the microchip implant procedures as reasonably safe for cats and dogs, pointing to rates of serious complications on the order of one in a million in the UK, which has a system for tracking such adverse reactions and has chipped over 3.7 million pet dogs. A 2011 study found no safety concerns for microchipped animals with RFID chips undergoing MRI at one Tesla magnetic field strength. In 2011 a microchip-associated fibrosarcoma was reported found in the neck of a 9-year old, neutered-male cat. Histological examination was consistent with postinjection sarcoma, but all prior vaccinations occurred in the hindlegs.
The microchip is implanted in the subcutaneous tissues causing an inflammatory response until scar tissue develops around the microchip. Studies on horses are used as the basis for short inflammatory response claims, while procedures on done on small kittens and puppies. People have reported swelling and bruising at the time of the implant with itching and pinching sensations for up to two years. The broader impacts on inflammatory disorders and cancer have not been determined and most of the health risks that were defined in the FDA Guidance developed for human implants should be considered. Adverse event reporting in the US can be made by the pet owner or a veterinarian to the FDA.
The estimate for the total cat and dog population of the UK is 16 million with 8.5 million dogs subject to mandatory microchip implant. The population of dogs implanted prior to mandatory adverse event reporting February 2015 was between 60% (February 2013) and 86% (April 2016). Approximately 95% are reported to be implanted as of April 2017.
Privacy.
Unauthorized reading of microchips can present a risk to privacy and can potentially provide information to identify or track packages, consumers, carriers, or even owners of different animals. Several prototype systems are being developed to combat unauthorized reading, including RFID signal interruption, as well as the possibility of legislation. Hundreds of scientific papers have been published on this matter since 2002. Different countries have responded differently to these issues.
As early as in 1997, some scholars believed that microchip implantation was technically possible, but it was suggested that it was the time to consider strategies for preventing potentially grievous intrusion into personal privacy. It is possible that microchips implanted on animals can also lead to privacy issues or information breaches, which can lead to serious social problems.
A common misconception is that the chip can be used for location tracking of the animal, which is false.
The microchip ownership question.
The widespread adoption of microchip identification may lead to ownership disputes occurring more frequently since sometimes microchip ownership information is irrelevant according to the ownership laws. This can occur when the owner is not the one to whom the microchip ownership information belongs. This is a significant problem because client confidentiality rules generally prohibit veterinarians from divulging information about a pet without the client's permission. Furthermore, veterinarians are required to get permission from the person who registered the chip to perform a surgery on a microchipped animal, even if the animal is experiencing a severe medical emergency. The problem can be more complicated if animals with microchips are abandoned or stolen.
Protecting privacy.
The first method of protecting microchip privacy is by regularly updating information. Stray animals with incorrect microchip details are less likely to be reclaimed and when compared to pets with correct microchip details, the time taken to retrieve the pets is longer, and sometimes reuniting is impossible. Therefore, it is wise to update microchip information regularly, especially when owners move or change their phone numbers. According to research, email reminders may increase the frequency of pet owners updating their microchip information. By increasing the pet owners' updating frequency of the pets' data, the reclaim percentages of stray animals will increase and reduce the number of pets euthanized in shelters every year.
Another method of protection is by using cryptography. Rolling codes and challenge–response authentication (CRA) are commonly used to foil monitor-repetition of the messages between the tag and reader; as any messages that have been recorded would prove to be unsuccessful on repeat transmission. It is possible that some novel RFID authentication protocols for microchip ownership transfer can be adapted to protect users' privacy, which meets three key requirements for secure microchip ownership transfer. The three requirements include: new owner privacy (only the new owner should be able to identify and control the microchip), old owner privacy (past interactions between the microchip and its previous owner should not be traceable by the new owner) as well as authorization recovery (the new owner should be able to transfer its authorization rights to the previous owner in some special cases). These features can protect owners' privacy to some extent.
Manufacturers and registers.
In the United States, the history of some tag manufacturers dates back more than 30 years. Several of the major tag manufacturers are listed below:
Some RFID-USA Registers includes:
References.
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Underdog (2018 film)
2018 film by Oh Sung-yoon and Lee Chun-baek
Underdog (Korean: ; RR: ) (alternatively labelled "A Dog's Courage") is a 2018 South Korean animated drama adventure film about the story of abandoned dogs Who journey to find a new home. The film is directed by Lee Chun-baek and Oh Sung-yoon and stars Doh Kyung-soo, Park So-dam and Park Chul-min. It was released in theaters on January 16, 2019.
The film opened the 22nd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in July 2018. Tickets for the film were sold out in 9 seconds, setting a record for the shortest time for an opening film at the BIFAN to be sold in such time. It was also chosen to be screened in North Korea as the first act of the South Korea-North Korea film exchange program.
"Underdog" was featured in the Taiwanese Kaohsiung Film Festival in the Kids Fantasy section on October 20–21, 2018.
In March 2019, "Underdog" was featured in Tokyo Anime Award Festival, being the first Korean film to do so. In June 2019, "Underdog" was featured in Annecy International Animated Film Festival, being the only Korean animation film out of eight to do so.
Plot.
A blue and white collie dog named Moongchi is driven by his owner to a forest somewhere in North Korea where he is released and abandoned. He tries to follow his masters truck, but is unable to reach it in time.
Moongchi waits for his owner to return. While waiting, he is discovered by a pack of stray dogs consisting of two Chihuahua mates wearing vests, a German Shepherd named Gaeko, and their leader, a small scruffy Shih Tzu named Jjangah. He feeds them his food after seeing them starving. They inform Moongchi that his owner won't return which he finds hard to believe until the conversation is interrupted by a car parking nearby, leaving a scrawny crippled dog on the roadside and driving away. Moongchi is mortified and begins to believe that he too has been abandoned, losing hope. The strays carry the new crippled dog with them into a human town; there Moongchi encounters the local dogcatcher but makes a narrow escape with the help of another town stray named Bongji, who struggles to control his temper, and they return to the Strays' home inside a dilapidated abandoned building. They discuss their living conditions with the dangers of the dog-hunter and Gaeko mentions a distant paradise they could travel to by scent, only to be shot down by Jjangah, who disproves homes.
The following day the strays travel to a nearby restaurant where a friendly chef is known to feed the dogs. There, Moongchi sees a human he mistakes for his owner and chases them into the restaurant only to be hastily driven from the building. When he explains to the dogs about it, they shake it down. That night as Moongchi lies awake, the sickly dog begins moving; she asks Moongchi to bring her to her parents and then collapses. The following morning she is found to have passed away. The dogs bury her in the buildings dirt yard along with other past graves where they gather and mourn; Moongchi leaves to disown his tennis ball into a river, blaming himself for not helping the pup sooner and believing he doesn’t deserve it.
Moongchi witnesses a pack of wild dogs hunting a boar and running off into the mountains. The pack consists of a black dog named Bami, a pair named Shirley and Edward, and their son Trevin. They return to their den site where they discuss the recent lack of prey due to humans and their fear of human settlements. That day the town strays find that the friendly chef was fired for attracting stray dogs and they are no longer welcome. Moongchi is blamed for this cause.
The next day, Moongchi goes to visit the wild dogs where he meets Trevin and follows him to their den site. He hopes to make friends with them with a bone as a gift, only to be told that town strays don't belong with wild dogs and gets sent back to town. That night Bongji is captured by the dog catcher and the stray town dogs again debate their living conditions. Gaeko mentions the potential paradise he vaguely remembers and Moongchi mentions living in the mountains like the wild dogs, but Jjangah chastises Moongchi's criticism of their lifestyle and refuses to trust him.
Moongchi runs off with hopes to impress the wild dogs by driving goats from a human farm into the mountains for them to kill and eat, only for Edward to chastise him for endangering them by angering the humans. As expected, the goat farmer calls animal control services for the wild dogs resulting in Jacob and Trevin being captured and put into a pound. Moongchi is injected with a GPS tracking chip with intent on later using him to locate the other stray dogs. He has a dream where he sees his owner again.
Moongchi recalls his childhood in a puppy mill where he was separated from his mother and siblings to be sold in a pet store, where he was adopted by a family who were unaware of how large he would grow. He later wakes up. That night he, Trevin and all other captive dogs are freed from the pound by the wild dogs. As they flee they discuss their need for a new home and Moongchi recalls the paradise Gaeko mentions. The town dog's abandoned building is destroyed by human construction and they too need a new home. Together they and the wild dogs agree to follow Gaeko to the land he remembers.
The dogs cross a highway, but Shirley and Edward are killed by a car collision. The dogs mourn and Trevon head a breakdown, missing his sister and parents. The dogs find that the fields on the other side make safe living grounds and successfully hunt a deer together. Bami tells Moongchi about her childhood in a puppy mill where dogs are abused and disposed of and how her mother was taken when she became too ill; Bami was almost doomed to the same life but managed to escape, ending up with the wild dogs.
The strays' newfound peace is short-lived as the dog-hunters find them using Moongchi's tracking device, but the dogs narrowly escape in a wildfire. Moongvhi saves Jjanagah from drowning, winning his respect, but has lost some of his fur from the fire. Along their journey they encounter a household of friendly humans who rescue injured animals and have several crippled dogs. Moongchi attempts to leave the others due to suspecting the tracking chip in his neck but Bami refuses to allow it. They encounter the lead dog-hunter whom they defeat in a fight and leave in the middle of the forest, the man ending up in a mine field with no way out. Jjangah decides that he will stay with the humans and they make their goodbyes before the strays continue their journey.
The strays arrive at the border of the Korean Demilitarized Zone and see the paradise they've been seeking on the other side of the barbed fence wall in South Korea. Gaeko recalls he was once a guard dog here. The stray dogs escape through the gate into the wilderness on the other side, except for Moongchi, who gets stuck behind. After being chased around by the military personnel, Moongchi leaps over the wall and escapes with the strays into the peaceful, uninhabited wilderness. The film's end credits show the strays living a happy life in their new home and Moongchi and Bami eventually having a litter of puppies, and it's revealed that Jjangah has started a family with his new mate as well.
Production.
Director Oh Sung-yoon had previously directed the animated film "Leafie, A Hen into the Wild" (2011). The production of "Underdog" started in April 2013 and ended in June 2018. Dubbing began in January 2016.
Release.
Before its premiere, "Underdog" was sold to 69 territories including France, United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
Promotion.
On January 7, directors Oh Sung-yoon and Lee Chun-baek and voice actors Doh Kyung-soo, Park So-dam and Lee Jun-hyuk attended the film's preview at CGV Yongsan I'park Mall. On January 15, the directors and voice actors held a showcase for the film at Lotte Cinema World Tower.
"Underdog" has also opened a funding for rescuing abandoned animals. Donators were rewarded with figurine and dolls of the main characters Moongchi and Bami.
References.
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Pet recovery service
Service to reunite lost pets with their owners
The goal of a pet recovery service is to reunite owners with their lost or stolen pets.
Pet recovery.
Without identification tags.
A wide variety of pet recovery services exist, including online services to search for lost pets. Less traditional services for searching for lost pets include the use of a bloodhound, a pet detective, or sites that offer a bulk-calling computer that can quickly alert neighbors by phone.
With identification tags.
External identification.
Forms of external identification include collar tags with identifying information, or QR codes with pet information or pet recovery service information. The pet could be tracked through a service toll-free number or web address on the tag; the service accesses the pet and owner information in a database via a number or QR code. Some pet identification tags include the owner's address or phone number, which can be used to reunite the pet with its owner. There are also registry database services based on tattoo registries.
Electronic tracking devices.
Recovery service providers use collar-attached electronic tracking devices to reunite the pet with its owner. The contract may also include recovery services, which eliminates any need to rely on a stranger encountering the pet. However, at least one device also calls for help from anyone nearby. This depends on whether the device is GPS, radio, or Bluetooth.
Microchip implant.
Since the early 1990s, advocates have promoted the under-skin I.D. tag or microchip implant as a collar-free solution for pet recovery. Veterinary services, animal shelters, and some individuals have chip scanners. In the U.S., such services are unregulated, and several types of chips have emerged with only some adhering to the pertinent ISO standards, ISO 11784 and ISO 11785. Originally, each type had its own scanner with no ability to read or even detect other types. However, there is a trend toward universal scanners that can read all types. Unlike the identifying collar tags mentioned above, the appropriate database keeper cannot always be determined from the ID number, complicating the task of returning the pet to its owner.
Metasearch engines.
As an aid to the pet finder in this situation, chip registry metasearch engines have been established. Two that have been available at least since 2003 are Europetnet, which has a large number of participating European registries, and Petmaxx, a worldwide registry service. In 2009, the metasearch engine, sponsored by the American Animal Hospital Association, was put online. Most of the major U.S. registries are now participants.
Pets are reunited with their owners by the stray pet's code, whose information is accessed via a database. The services are only accessed where chip registry services have decided to interface with metasearch engine services.
Successful metasearch engines connect to all the available registries and can help the pet finder or dog warden find the one registry that has an owner record for a found stray. A potential downfall is that if the pet's information is not registered with all databases, a thief can steal the animal using the secure and tamper-proof' ID device. Then, they can register the stolen pet with another database and sell the animal, transferring an apparent clear title in the form of a login account at, or registration document from, the second registry.
A drawback of metasearch engines is that many shelters do not have the resources to search registry sites for owner information once they access the chip number. The chip number may simply be entered in the paperwork, never contacting the owner.
Microchip Registration Database.
To ensure lost pets are reunited with their owners, it is best to have them microchipped and to register them with the chip manufacturer and/or one of the chip-agnostic recovery Pet recovery services. An implantable chip is more secure than a collar tag because the chip cannot be moved between pets or lost, as can a collar tag. A typical pet microchip registration costs $25 to $100 per year, and it is incumbent upon the owner to maintain the accuracy of the database in the event of a move or change in contact information. To remind pet owners to check and update their information, the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association have established August 15 as Check a Chip Day.
Registering and keeping the owner's contact information up-to-date is a problem facing the pet microchip industry. Without up-to-date information, a lost pet is less likely to be returned to its owner. According to an Ohio State University study, the main reasons owners aren't found for lost pets included incorrect or disconnected phone numbers (35.4%), the owner's failure to return phone calls or respond to letters (24.3%), unregistered microchips (9.8%), or microchips registered in a database that differed from the manufacturer (17.2%). At a subscription cost to the owner that is typically annual, each microchip manufacturer maintains their registration database. However, these registration databases only hold information related to the chips they manufacture. This requires a pet finder that does not know who the manufacturer is to search multiple sources to report a found pet. There are free registration databases available, such as those at Veripet's Rabies Reader Page and Found Animals Microchip Registry are chip manufacture agnostic.
A recovery database of last resort at the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) provides a lookup tool that will redirect a user to the manufacturer's recovery desk. However, they do not provide owner information or notifications to them. AAHA works only with those manufacturers and recovery services that provide a hotline where a pet finder can report a found pet.
References.