Vince Carter shouts out Scotty Barnes in the midst of a solid season for the star

Vince Carter understands the challenges that come with the face of Canadian basketball. The Toronto Raptors will never replace hockey and are often out of the limelight in the NBA landscape, so it takes a certain type of player to runs a franchise. The 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer believes Scottie Barnes he fills that role very well this season.

Even though Brandon Ingram is the team’s leading scorer, No. 4 is still considered the cornerstone of the Raptors. Carter praised him on his ability to remain striking while simultaneously matching a game-changing counterpart.

“I want to give Scottie some flowers,” he told reporters in Toronto ahead of Tuesday night’s matchup with the New York Knicks, according to TSN’s Josh Levenberg. “It was his team for a long time. He was willing to sacrifice himself for the good of BI to come in and be himself. And look what he did. He still became an All-Star. He also brought another All-Star with him. . . . So it’s just a sacrifice for the good of the team. Yeah, the numbers are down, but your accolades are coming now.”

T-Mac thinks the Raptors could win a playoff series and VC steps in with some love for Barnes. “I want to give Scotty his flowers. pic.twitter.com/n8Iv0akiue

— Josh Levenberg (@JLev1050) March 4, 2026

Barnes has yet to ascend to true superstardom, with his 29.1 percent shooting from 3-point range serving as a barrier to such status, but he remains an unquestioned difference-maker on one of the breakout teams this season. The 24-year-old forward is averaging 19.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.4 steals while shooting a career-high 50.1 percent from the field. He’s also a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, proving to be a two-way force in the Great White North.

Scotty Barnes must now figure out how he can push the Raptors (35-25) through the next phase of their development. The team is currently two games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Toronto will have a steep mountain to climb if it sweeps the Cavs, Knicks or Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs (they’re unlikely to face the top-seeded Detroit Pistons later), but this group can still be dangerous.

The former No. 4 overall draft pick gives the Raptors the intensity they need. If he can continue to grow and lead, Toronto will have a tough time in the postseason in 2026. Vince Carter will be watching closely.