Carter To Appear In Court This Week Over Tank Black Flap

Raptors G VINCE CARTER will appear in a South Carolina court this week as part of a $14M lawsuit filed against him by former agent WILLIAM “TANK” BLACK, according to Doug Smith of the TORONTO STAR. Black claims Carter “failed and refused to pay commissions, expenses and a termination fee” after firing him in ’00. Carter is countersuing Black and his company, Professional Management Inc., for “misrepresented and concealed material facts.” Carter fired Black “shortly after the agent was charged with swindling football players out of more than $12[M].” Black was convicted of the fraud charges in ’02. One of the issues in Carter’s countersuit claims Black’s “negligence and recklessness” led to him signing a five-year, $25M deal with Puma in ’00. When Carter “tried to get out of the contract Puma was awarded $13.5[M] from an arbitrator.” Negotiations “whittled that total down and a final settlement was reached later” in ’00. Carter, who is now repped by IMG, has since signed with Nike (TORONTO STAR, 10/26).