Vince Carter

He was born Vincent Lamar Carter in Daytona Beach, Florida, on January 26, 1977. The son of Vince and Michelle Carter, who divorced when Carter was seven years old, he showed an early interest and talent in both music and sports. Although he excelled at basketball as a boy, his mother and stepfather, Harry Robinson, both schoolteachers, endeavored to ensure that Carter had as well-rounded a background as possible, encouraging him to pursue his interest in music as well as sports. As a student at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Carter played alto, baritone, and tenor saxophone in the marching band and also led the band as drum major. A talented composer, Carter wrote the school's homecoming song. By the time he reached his junior year in high school, however, Carter found himself focusing more and more of his time and energy on basketball. He led the school's basketball team to the 1994-95 Florida Class 6A championship. In his senior year Carter turned down a music scholarship to nearby Bethune-Cookman College in favor of a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina.

After a slow start as a freshman, averaging only 7.5 points per game, Carter began to make a name for himself in Tar Heel basketball during his sophomore year, nearly doubling both his playing time and scoring average. At season's end, he led the Tar Heels squad to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four, where North Carolina lost to the eventual national champion, Arizona. Solidifying his growing reputation as an all-around player, Carter led the Tar Heels back to the NCAA Final Four during his junior year. After a brilliant season as a junior, he declared himself eligible for the NBA draft of 1998. Making good on a promise to his mother and stepfather that he would not abandon his goal of earning a college degree, Carter continued to pursue his studies during summer sessions and eventually received his bachelor's degree in 2001.