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OLYMPIC WATCH

Vince Carter has been selected to the 2000 USA Men's Basketball Olympic Team.

Carter, who was the 1999 Schick Rookie of the Year, was added to the US roster when Phoenix Suns' forward Tom Gugliotta went down with an injury. Carter had previously been left off the team in favour of Milwaukee Bucks' forward Ray Allen. When Gugliotta was injured, Carter was a unanimous replacement selection.

The Olympics start in early September in Sydney. Check the site for a detailed Olympic feature in mid-August.

MORE NEWS ON THIS: Grant Hill has pulled out of the Olympics due to his ankle injury. A possible replacement is Kobe Bryant. However, Lakers' GM Jerry West is vehemently trying to dissuade Kobe from going to Sydney.

Click here for a Toronto Star article about Vince joining the team

Toronto Raptors' Coach Butch Carter takes a final walk through the Air Canada Centre after being fired in early June (left). The coach had caused controversy after controversy during his tenure as Raptor coach. He also had alienated his veteran players by allegedly favoring young stars Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. Carter is still owed the remaining $6 million of his contract.                                         

Lenny Wilkens, the winningest coach in NBA history, was hired on June 21 to replace Carter. The 62-year old Wilkens is in the Hall of Fame as both a player and coach. He won a championship as the coach of the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979. He resigned from the Head Coach position in Atlanta partly because of turbulence between him and embattled player Isiah Rider. Some critics allege that Wilkens has lost his passion for the game. Wilkens, of course, denies this claim.

Click here for a CNNSI article about the hiring of Wilkens

 


 

By selecting Michigan State guard/forward Morris Peterson in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Raptors improved their team instantly. The left-handed Peterson, who received Second Team All-America honors after his senior season, is known as a smooth shooter, strong rebounder, and clutch performer. "Mo Pete" averaged 16.8 points per game for the Spartans, who won the NCAA Championship last season. Peterson will likely start the season as the Raptors' 6th or 7th man. However, if Tracy McGrady does not return to the team, Peterson could even step in as the starting shooting guard.

Click for various draft-day quotes from Mo Pete, Lenny Wilkens, and Glen Grunwald

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vince has returned to North Carolina to finish his degree in African-American Studies. Although he is paying some attention to the Tracy McGrady situation, his mind is elsewhere. "Man, I'm thinking about biology," he said. "It's really hard!" He enjoys school immensely and says that he is treated like a "normal student" at UNC.

Click here for a Toronto Star article about Vince going back to school