Vince Carter Never stops

“Straight up ” proclaims Vince Carter, one of basketball’s most storied and influential players. No, it’s not a nickname for one of his signature slam-dunks, but rather how the longtime cognac connoisseur takes his cognac Hennessy (along with two ice cubes, of course).

In celebration of the global partnership between the National Basketball Association and Maison HENNESSY, the Olympic gold medalist, eight-time NBA All-Star, and fearless dunking icon reflects on his philosophy of the game, his world-famous le dunk de la mort, and of course his drink of choice.

“I’m a cognac connoisseur, and that’s just what it is,” says Carter, the retired NBA Icon who joined ESPN as a broadcaster and analyst last fall. “I’m busy now more than ever, but after a long day, I tend to come home to a quiet house late at night, and I’m either watching highlights or replays or just catching up on the world. On my bar, there is always a Hennessy bottle.”

Postgame celebrations have punctuated the unprecedented 22-season NBA run of Carter’s life, making him the only player to appear in a game in four different decades.

In 2000, he won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with one of the most explosive performances in the event’s history. It was a prolific benchmark in his career and a lifelong manifestation for Carter as a player. “I had dreams of winning the dunk contest since I was seven or eight years old,” recalls Carter, who dunked a basketball for the first time in sixth grade. “I used to record and watch them over and over, like I was watching cartoons. I studied and practiced how I would shake the commissioner’s hand and hold up the trophy.”

In the wake of his Slam Dunk victory, Carter achieved further glory—this time on the world stage. At the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia Carter leaped over a 7’2” opposing French player, a move that the French media dubbed le dunk de la mort (“the Dunk of Death”) and that induced worldwide “Vinsanity.” As the game’s scoring leader, he was pivotal in the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team’s win over France, resulting in USA’s twelfth Olympic gold in men’s basketball. “I was in attack mode, and the moon and stars were lined up correctly for it all to happen that night.”

For Carter, the spirit of basketball is very much an emotional roller coaster—and that’s exactly why so many people love it. “For as much as the game can be victorious and triumphant, there are bad days too,” explains the 2020 NBA Sportsmanship Award recipient. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. People handle that differently. Emotions of the game are good, and sometimes they can be bad. This just brings the competitive spirit of the game to the audience. Out of 450 players in the league, you can find and relate to a player with your personality and who embodies your spirit, dedication, competitive nature, and appreciation of the game.”

Carving a name for himself seemingly came easily for Carter, but he acknowledges that it can be a mental challenge for young players. “Some guys come into this league who had the physical ability but will go down fighting for the fame of it,” says Carter, who has always taken the off-court flashiness of athletic stardom with a grain of salt. “We all want to be considered amongst the greatest, and we want people to utter our name. People go down making that their end-all-be-all. When you do that, you tend to forget about the reason you’re here: to play basketball and [to understand that] if you just play the game and be the best player you can be, they’re going to find you, and they’re going to recognize you because you’re scoring, and your play is going to stand tall.”

Carter is also quick to acknowledge the freedom today’s athletes have off the court and the social responsibilities that come with it. “I have a great appreciation for the activism [within the NBA]. They understand that some of the conversations and the feelings will be uncomfortable, and that’s okay. Getting people to step outside of the box brings change,” he says. “We hear people say, ‘You’re an athlete, just play basketball,’ but there’s no person who is just one thing. You’re allowed to have opinions and use your voice.”

In 1998, Carter established the Embassy of Hope Foundation, which helps underprivileged children, their families. He also created the Vince Carter Youth Basketball Academy, using the pillars of success instilled in him as a young boy—vision, balance, hard work, teamwork, and perseverance—that continue to fuel him today.

In addition to his appreciation of sipping cognac Hennessy on the rocks, Carter’s personal ethos echoes the brand’s “Never stop. Never settle” mantra. “It truly aligns with my philosophy. It’s something I live by and have hung on to,” he says. “I never gave up. I never wanted to quit. I never got discouraged when people second-guessed me or asked, ‘Why are you still playing this game?’ I played it because I loved it, and I never stopped when people thought I should. I wasn’t going to stop until I wanted to. I didn’t settle for mediocrity, and I still don’t.”