Editor's note: This story was originally published on Feb. 12, 2014.
Late on the night of Feb. 11, 2000, Vince Carter lies awake in his Bay Area hotel. He is restless because his mind won't stop. The next evening, in Oakland, he is to compete in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend, an event both celebrated and reviled and one Carter does not yet know he has been tabbed by the league to save.
His thoughts turn to the half-dozen or so slams he has planned for the competition, a stacked affair that will feature four All-Stars, either present or future, including Carter's cousin and teammate.