"The Man Behind the Ball"
The left-handed, 6-foot-6 center has proven himself to be a strong and determined player not only on the court but in his studies as well. Antwan Carter is currently a Communication Studies major with a concentration in Mass Media.
It seems that trading in his football cleats for a pair of basketball sneakers wasn’t such a bad decision for the junior.
“I played football for a few years,” said Carter. “I enjoyed it, but I felt as if I was too big, so I quit in 7th grade.”
Carter comes from a large family, consisting of eight siblings. He hails from St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was fairly active. He played football but wasn’t able to find his niche within the sport.
It’s been said that high school days are the “best years of your life.” I’m sure that Carter would agree, as this was the start to his promising basketball career.
During subsequent summers, Carter played recreational sports within the community, but he never received the AAU experience that many other college prospects had.
The thought of playing basketball never crossed Carter’s mind until he started 9th grade and his best friend convinced him to try out for the basketball team.
“I didn’t really want to try out,” admitted Carter. “But I figured I’d go try out with him to support him.”
There was a lack of communication after the tryouts, and Carter thought he didn’t make the team. A few days passed, and the coach called to apologize for the miscommunication, informing Carter that he would be a huge asset to the team. From there, his basketball career took off thanks to immense amounts of support from his family, especially his twin brother, Anthony.
“I knew he had the potential as well as the heart and determination to play,” said Anthony. “I had to make sure that I was a visible and constant force during his high school basketball career, and I constantly pushed him to excel.”
Carter has indefinitely made his mark on the men’s basketball program at Longwood as well as in the realm of Division I athletics. He reached a milestone in the Longwood Athletics history books this season, reaching and surpassing 1,000 points in his career. He was presented with a commemorative basketball in honor of his achievement. Carter averaged 18.2 points and 9.5 rebounds a game and recorded 14 double-doubles on the year.
Though his plans for the future are still uncertain, Carter has a plan in mind.
“If I don’t make it professionally, I hope to land a job as a sports commentator or even a reporter,” says the Lancer all-star.
See Antwan's roster
profile.
