Shaquille O'Neal makes 'final $200M offer' to NBA legend during TNT Sports farewell

Shaquille O'Neal joined the chorus of NBA fans wanting to see Vince Carter replicate his legendary 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest performance, though the NBA legend offered the latter a massive deal.

Carter participated in the dunk contest just once - in 2000 - and his outing was so memorable that a quarter century later, fans and pundits alike consider it to be the epitome of what a dunker should do in the contest.

The former Toronto Raptors star dunked five times that night, including jamming his entire forearm into the hoop during one of his attempts.

By the end of the competition, the now-48-year-old etched his name among the greatest dunkers of all time, a list that includes Michael Jordan , Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins.

Considering how legendary Carter's performance was, O'Neal gave his TNT Sports colleague an offer to replicate his dunks, an offer he ultimately refused.

Asking Carter to do one of his dunks, O'Neal said: "The fans donate money, all the big-time people donate money.

Lets say we raise $50 million tonight for you to recreate that dunk.

Would you and could you do it? Fifty million." Instead of answering the question, Carter swiftly dodged the query, asking where the local hospital was.

In response, the four-time champion gave his final offer: "Vince, my last and final offer: $200 million." The conversation was soon over but O'Neal's insistence on seeing Carter replicate his iconic dunks show just how memorable his outing was, 25 years ago.

Of note, the 2025 All-Star Weekend festivities were held in San Francisco at the Chase Center and Oakland Arena, formerly known as the Oracle Arena, where the Golden State Warriors hosted games.

The NBA dunk legend made his name at the Oracle Arena, a 35-minute drive from Chase Center.

Looking back at his exploits more than two decades later, Carter explained that he prepared for the dunk contest the same way he would prepare for games.

"I approached the dunk like it was a basketball game," Carter said before his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in October, per The Athletic .

"I took a pregame nap.

I got ready for it.

That's how much respect, the want-to.

I wanted to go out there and give you a show, and I put my best foot forward.

And I think that's why the people, obviously, appreciated the show." Carter also explained what the thought process was for performing his iconic 360-degree dunk, which sent the crowd into a frenzy, including O'Neal, who watched the festivities unfold.

I tell you the truth, he continued.

That dunk, the first dunk, the reverse windmill.

I had tried that, worked on it so many times, and could barely make that dunk in practice.

"But my adrenaline was so, so high, to where I said, You know what? I think I can pull it off.

And, thats just what it was.

[Kevin Garnett] was probably hyping me up from afar.

Because I remember walking out on the court, all nervous, hands a little sweaty.

I had just had surgery on my middle finger; if you go back and look, you see my fingers taped up.

I see [Jason] Kidd, Antawn [Jamison], all the guys I either played college ball with or against, or in the pros.

The excitement in these professionals superstars faces, with what I was going to do.

I just gave em a show..

This article has been shared from the original article on themirror, here is the link to the original article.