OverDrive - Jones on Carter's Slam Dunk Contest rewind, Ingram's role in Toronto and the success in the spotlight

Episode Date: February 13, 2025

Raptors Radio Commentator Paul Jones joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Raptors, Vince Carter's famous dunk victory and his experience in the contest, Brandon Ingram's signing with the Raptors, RJ Barrett returning to the lineup, the direction of the team and more.

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Switch to Bell PureFiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA. Starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Let's welcome in the voice of the Raptors, our friend Paul Jones here on Overdrive. Jonesy, what's up? I'm good, AK. And like this is like, Hayes isn't there, so it's like the substitute teacher taking over. That's it.

And the class noodles, the is like swing it from the lights Oh dogs, I don't know dogs. We're all good. Oh dogs dipped out now like on me I I get the last-minute invite like it's like rolling them the the the TV in and Rolling the TV in the good old days right there when that TV was rolled in Your teacher had a tough night the night before. Like there's a movie in. That's exactly it. So 25 years ago, I know you were there that night, Jonesy.

What do you remember most about 2000 and what Vince Carter did that night? Well, a couple things come to mind. First of all, you can bust your boy Duthie, our boy Duthie with this, before they made him king of the NHL in the quiz show, he actually slumped it with us working on basketball. Wow. Duthie and Routens and legendary head coach Brian Heaney were on the panel up top. I was the courtside guy and I was interviewing Vince in the bowels on a door just outside the arena

like we're in the basement where it opened and went out onto the floor and we did the interview and it was all done and and I was getting the wrap-up sign from Dave Haggit the PR guy like hurry up because Vince like the car that he came to the arena in was in an accident and or there was an accident holding it up and he couldn't get out on the floor to warm up and he hadn't had a warm-up yet and like I mean there were some good dunkers in that thing Stackhouse, McGrady, who else was in that? Steve Francis? Like it was it was like I was so the interview ends Aaron, noodles the interview ends and I

Look at Vince I go. This is you man V this is you it's got you written all over and he's like, I don't know Jonesy and I now I know it was because he Probably didn't get to warm up and you know Stackhouse and Francis and McGrady and all those guys were out there waiting for him And I said you got this man. This is you just go to town and you know, Stackhouse and Francis and McGrady and all those guys were out there waiting for him. And I said, you got this man, this is you, just go to town. And he was kinda, I don't know. And you know in the 10 commandments when Charlton Heston as Moses seized God

and his face transforms, Vince opened the door and left the interview and walked out into the lights of the arena and he became a new dude. Like, he went, he went off. I mean, Isaiah Thomas was jumping over the table as a judge with his arms up in the air, like just the stuff that he had never seen before from Vince. I was sitting beside the late Paul Silas, who was the coach, I think think in either Charlotte or Cleveland at the time and Dave Winfield. They were sitting in my section.

And when Vince did that dunk, I mean I've seen a lot of basketball. I've been around this game since 1970 when I was like a pre-team. And it takes a lot to move my backside from my chair. And I got up and I looked around and there were other basketball people looking around going did I just see that and yeah the Kenny Smith it's over and Isaiah jumping over the table I'm like man give him the trophy now like don't even bother just everybody else sit down and let him do all his dunks I mean guys are still doing those dunks today yeah Yeah, between the legs and like, they're still doing them today. And the one that got me Aaron and noodles was the last one where he went

up and he put his arm in the basket. Like, I thought about that, you know how high you have to be to, like, like, put something like push something down on a chair, like to be up that high to not dunk it down to actually ram it in the basket. And we got back and Butch Carter goes and I'm watching my star player swinging from the rim with his elbow. It was it was it was an unbelievable dunk contest and it was huge because they're trying to revive The image of the NBA after that nasty lockout the year before so it was it was a huge night Paul Jones the voice of the Raptors is our guest the Raptors play Cleveland tonight down at Scotia Bank Arena Toronto is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Vince Carter's iconic 2000 NBA dunk contest performance and Jones

I'm curious you were there with Vince before and a lot of people will point 2000 NBA dunk contest performance. And Jones, I'm curious, you were there with Vince before. And a lot of people will point to that dunk contest really elevating Vince Carter's profile internationally. What was it like after, and in the weeks and months that came after the incredible performance? Well, I'll tell you about two weeks after that, Aaron. NBC changed its national TV game to a Sunday afternoon, Toronto and Phoenix, and not letting them down, your boy Vince went off for 51 against Phoenix,

and I'm telling you, it was like watching a high schooler beat up on everybody. He, I mean, his headband was crooked, his shirt tail was hanging out, he was hitting shots from like out on Yonge Street It was it was crazy and and it did Aaron push his star forward because you think about it after that Vince Carter led the all-star game in balloting and I say this all the time. He wasn't in New York He wasn't in Los Angeles. He wasn't in Los Angeles. He wasn't in Chicago. He was not in a major US market and there was none of this internet voting.

You had to bring your butt to an arena and punch the little hole in the ballot and put it in the box and there was none of this, oh today the ballots worth three or whatever. So think about that put that into a little bit of Perspective he led the NBA and all-star voting from Toronto So yeah, if that didn't catapult his star, I'm not sure what did So Brandon Ingram gets introduced to the media today How do you think he's gonna fit in? I like the fit noodles, I I think you got I today, how do you think he's going to fit in? I like the fit, Noodles.

I think you have a situation where, and I've been saying this all along, the Raptors in Tampa, they hit the skids, and they got Scotty Barnes as the number four picked in the draft when they should have had seven. So all those people that want to tank for the number one pick, it's not a sure thing. And they went from fourth pick in the draft to number five seed the next year this team has the same kind of potential they don't have as experienced players noodles like there's no championship left over with

an OG or a Pascal or fred or anybody like that but they've got some i mean in group was an all-star you know he's been an all-star scottie's been an all-star so you've got you've got the pieces and i think he's gonna be a good fit i i i he's a killer in the mid-range moves the ball well uh... looking the guy was an all-star and he's only 27.

So he signed for less than max, which means you might have a little money to spend. Maybe you're not pushing up against the tax. It's all roses right now. Well, how about a little boost from RJ Barrett, who's going to be back tonight as well? RJ is a, he's a certified competitor. You know those guys that when you're playing hockey noodles and it's like nine one and there's only a minute to go and the guy's still out there going all out,

like he's gonna get, like this next goal's worth nine and I'm gonna win, right? That's RJ, he's got some dog in him he's a competitor and he loves to hoop he loves to play he loves being in Toronto you think about that young core with Ingram Barnes quickly Barrett and then you look and coming off the bench you have like an Abadji Grady dick Grady Mobo, I mean you start Pertle as a big guy Jacoby Walter, I just I just like what this team has going forward

Paul Jones our guest the voice of the rap's Raptors Cleveland here on TSN 1050 tonight I think everybody likes what the Raptors, Raptors Cleveland here on TSN 1050 tonight. I think everybody likes what the Raptors have going forward, but I think there's a lot of Raptors fans, Jones, and I'm sure you've heard about this, that are concerned about this team this season perhaps bringing Ingram back. Oh look, Brandon Ingram is playing 35 minutes for you and helping you win ball games, when in reality probably the best course of action for this year's Toronto Raptors is to have as many lottery balls as possible and that win last night against Philadelphia probably didn't do the Raptors any favors where do you stand on that? I'm never for the tank Aaron. I'm not and the competitor in me maybe

it's to my detriment but I just think you look better when you're win your assets look better a guy that people might be thinking about, he looks better when the team is playing better and the team is winning. Listen, there's no guarantee. Asset Detroit Pistons has had the worst record three years in a row and twice dropped as far as you could fall down to five. I've talked to Dwayne Casey about that. They thought they were going to get Victor Wemba Nyama And they did right and and I think guys you have to have these guys playing together

To develop a little bit of chemistry. It can't all be in July and August in summer league and offseason workouts you there's nothing like a Game there's nothing like you know being able to do it when there's butts in the seats and the popcorn smells up the arena. Like, you've got to develop some chemistry and let's face it, guys, they're going to lose some games. Like, they have two guys on this roster over 30. Their rookies have more minutes than any other rookies in in the NBA save for two teams, so That you know for the people that want the tank to keep rolling. It's not like they may intentionally do it, but They have the toughest schedule in February They have the youngest one of the youngest teams in the NBA. So you're taking some losses. So don't worry about lottery balls. They're going to come your way. I think you need to do enough and win enough so that

guys don't get disgruntled. Like, you know, a guy like Scotty, who's been for here four or five years, he, he saw the playoffs in his first year. He wants to win because if that doesn't happen, then he says quietly, all right, I got my money, get me out of here. Jonesy, I think perhaps the most interesting storyline around the nba right now is what's going on with the lakers with luca dot jr conversely the mavericks who are kicking people out of their stadium for melding fire nico there's g yeah i mean it's a it's an unbelievable scene there in dallas were seemingly every

mavericks man is on the verge of becoming a fan of a new team are you more intrigued by what happens with Luca and LeBron going forward or what happens with the Mavericks going forward? Both of them, Aaron. I'm looking at both of them. Luca and LeBron are going to have to coexist. I'm not sure they look good now, but when you're playing the Utah Jazz, as my dad used to say as a boxer, you look hitting the bag the problem is the bag doesn't hit back right like Let's see what happens when they get the good teams and they're into You know they're into the playoffs and then Dallas I liked I liked the acquisition of Anthony Davis

I did like that but in typical Anthony Davis fashion I always tease he leads the league in MRIs like wow he's great in his first game and then gets hurt like like is there anything more fitting than that so listen I like the move for both teams and and you guys know noodles you know this yeah there people say how can you trade Luca they see stuff that we don't they see stuff that we don't. They see stuff that we don't. The locker room, work habits, you know, things that they've asked for that aren't not being done. Like there's a business side to this.

They probably save 120 million bucks not having to pay him a super max. There's so many variables involved. So it'll be interesting to see how it all shakes down. Dallas is in win right now mode, though, and the Lakers are set for another 10 years with Luka. Jonesy, just a quick follow up on Davis. Is it a tough nickname? I know that's not his nickname, but is it a tough nickname

to be kind of named by Barclay Street Close? I mean, that's kind of a damn. It's a damn thing. And you said it leads the league in MRIs. I mean, the truth doesn't lie there. You know, the stats don't lie. I mean, this guy's banged up a lot, but that's a, that's a tough nickname to have, isn't it? It is. It is, Noodles. And you're trying to, you're trying to do everything to defy it, right? You're trying to do everything, you know to be to be that we know like red light rassico like it just but i think it if he could

if he could put a whole block in front of the net to prevent the red light from going on he do it right so uh... it's it is it is tough and look all you can do is an athlete is go out there and do your best i'd like him as a player eighty are really do the problem is availability though they say the best ability is availability yes very much so and we're thrilled you're available to join us today jones and always always substitute teacher edition of overdrive is interned i i did i did

have a substitute teachers there i get to i i i get to it's uh... what do they call it i used to call it when i was playing ball i was a thirty thirty man they said what thirty points thirty rebounds i said hell no we had to be up thirty or down thirty before i went in the game now come on don't sell yourself sure you're a starter you're always a starter here on tsn ten fifty and we'll be listening

tonight raptors and cavaliers jonesy on the call thank you for doing this alright guys pleasure paul jones