Raptors retire Vince Carter's No. 15 in emotional ceremony

Vince Carter became the first player to have his jersey retired by the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, as the No. 15 was raised to the rafters during halftime of their contest against the Sacramento Kings.

The Raptors icon was emotional as he received a standing ovation from the Toronto crowd.

Before lifting his jersey to the rafters, the organization played a tribute video to celebrate Carter's most memorable moments.

"Listen to me. When that jersey goes up, it's not just Carter 15 going up, it's all of us going up," Carter said during the ceremony, according to Sportsnet's Blake Murphy.

Carter added: "The memories that had been created for six years, however you view it, go up tonight. I hope and pray we enjoy our jersey being retired, forever, together."

The first superstar in the franchise's history, Carter was acquired in a draft-night trade in 1998 with the Golden State Warriors, who selected him with the fourth pick. He immediately made his mark on the league, averaging 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and three assists to win Rookie of the Year in 1999.

Regarded as one of the best dunkers in basketball history, Carter broke out in his sophomore season and averaged 25.7 points per game. He also won the Dunk Contest, putting on one of the most iconic displays in the history of the event.

Carter led the Raptors to three straight playoff appearances from 1999-2002, a run that reached its high point in a seven-game series against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

During his time in Toronto, Carter made two All-NBA teams in 2000 and 2001 and received five straight All-Star nods. After the relationship between player and franchise soured, he was traded to the Nets in 2004. He subsequently played for the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Atlanta Hawks, becoming the first of two players to play in 22 seasons in the NBA.

"I know it's my day but ... this is our day," Carter said in a press conference before the jersey retirement, according to Murphy. "It's our day, however you feel about this moment, what has transpired, or even me. This is our day."

Carter, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame earlier this year, will call select Raptors games for Sportsnet as the team celebrates its 30th anniversary.

"My love for this place, outside of all this darn emotion, I was more than thrilled and happy to ... call games for this team," Carter said, per Murphy. "You don't accept a job like this if you don't love being here."