Internet goes wild over NBA marvel as Vince Carter signs on for season 21

Vince Carter dunks during a game for the Sacramento Kings last season. Photo /Getty

Vince Carter is ageless — a fact that was confirmed when the NBA veteran signed on for his 21st season in the league by inking a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

The 41-year-old is the oldest player in the NBA and agreed to terms with the Hawks on Thursday for a veteran minimum $AUD3.2 million, according to an ESPN report.

The Hawks will become Carter's eighth NBA team after he played for the Sacramento Kings last year.

He's most recognised for his time in Toronto where he helped lead the struggling Raptors franchise into NBA relevance over his six and a half seasons, before moving to New Jersey and joining the Nets.

The eight-time NBA All-Star's longevity in the game formed the crux of much of the reaction on social media to the news he'd be taking to the floor again.

To put his seemingly never-ending career in perspective, he'll be teaming up at the Hawks with young gun Trae Young, who was born three months after Carter was drafted to the Toronto Raptors.

Vince Carter was drafted 3 months before new Hawks teammate @TheTraeYoung was BORN. pic.twitter.com/Mw8ZJJrJTb

— ESPN (@espn) July 25, 2018

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, which is the official stats provider of the NBA, Carter has had 228 different teammates in his career, just six fewer than former journeyman Juwan Howard who played for 19 seasons and eight different teams.

He is also just one of three active stars — along with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry — to have played in the NBA in the 1990s.

Unsurprisingly, the Twitterverse went wild after hearing Carter would be suiting up again.

Herb Williams was an All-American in 1980. Marvin Bagley was an All-American in 2018. And Vince Carter will have played against them both! Insane and awe-inspiring.

— Andy Demetra (@AndyDemetra) July 26, 2018

I used to play basketball games against Vince Carter and I haven’t played basketball games in 18-years.

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) July 26, 2018

Someday, LeBron James will have grandkids, and they'll have grandkids, and one of THEIR grandkids will make the NBA.

Vince Carter will dunk on that kid.

— Inside Hoops - NBA Playoffs (@InsideHoops) July 26, 2018

Vince Carter walking into the Hawks locker room like pic.twitter.com/7HHII05kCS

— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) July 25, 2018

The Hawks finished last in the Eastern Conference last season while Sacramento ended up 12th in the Western Conference.

Carter is yet to win an NBA championship and the odds of him picking up a ring with the Hawks are even slimmer than they were with his most recent franchises.

His decision to not sign with a championship contender was lauded by the majority of social media. A choice that goes against the grain of what most veterans opt for as their careers approach the end.

Vince Carter's last four stops have been Dallas, Memphis, Sacramento and Atlanta. No one can accuse him of ring chasing.

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 25, 2018

vince carter really just playing for the love of the game at this point LOL he's 41 playing on teams with no chance at even making the playoffs

— 🎤N-jay 🏀 (@_Njay3) July 25, 2018