Former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony and one of the greatest scorers in NBA history announced his retirement on Monday, describing the farewell after 19 seasons as “bittersweet.”
Anthony, 38, last played in April 2022 as a reserve for the Los Angeles Lakers and spent the last few seasons of his career in more limited roles.
“Now it’s time for me to say goodbye to the court where I made my name, the game that gave me purpose and pride,” Anthony said in a glossy-produced video posted to social media Monday. The video featured career highlights, with “All That I Got Is You” by Ghostface Killah featuring Mary J. Blige in the background.
Anthony said he is “excited about what the future holds”.
The Denver Nuggets drafted Anthony third overall from Syracuse in 2003 after leading the school to the NCAA Division I National Championship. Anthony could have been drafted higher if it weren’t for a player he would form a close friendship with: LeBron James, who went first overall to Cleveland.
Anthony immediately showed his scoring prowess. His outstanding guarding, strong physique and quick release onto his jersey from anywhere on the field made him a difficult guard. Hall of Famer Paul Pierce said earlier this year that He preferred guarding Kobe Bryant or James from Anthony.
Anthony led the Nuggets to the playoffs in his rookie year. He caked, faked, and made his way to 10 All-Star Games and six All-NBA Teams. Anthony finished his career with a total score of 28.289 points – good for ninth place in the history of the NBA. He also won Three Olympic gold medals and one bronze.
Many Knicks fans are particularly fond of Anthony, who was born in Brooklyn and pressured the Nuggets to trade him to New York in 2011 so he could team up with fellow All-Star, Amar’e Stoudemire. The move gave the fanbase some optimism after a decade of incompetence from the front office.
The partnership never fully came to fruition, thanks mainly to injuries to Stoudemire. But Anthony delivered memorable performances at Madison Square Garden, including a game in 2014 in which he scored 62 points, a franchise record. Anthony also led the Knicks to one of their only victories of the century, in 2013 against the Boston Celtics.
Finally, Anthony played for six teams: Nuggets, Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Lakers.
Anthony’s career has had several speed bumps.
He developed a reputation for lax defense and the ball. his former Nuggets coach, George Karl, wrote in his book 2017 notes that Anthony “played aggressively on only one side of the ball.” And while Anthony’s teams have made it reliably in the playoffs, he’s only reached the Conference Finals once, in 2009 with the Nuggets.
Like many All-Stars before him, Anthony struggled to adjust to the disruption in his game as he entered the back half of his career. After the Knicks traded him to Oklahoma City prior to the 2017-18 season, he appeared to have the best chance of his career at winning a championship because he was teamed with All-Stars Paul George and Russell Westbrook. But he scoffed at the idea Get off the benchAnd many fans blamed him when the team fell short early in the playoffs.
Soon, Anthony’s career was hanging in the balance. He appeared in just 10 games for Houston in the 2018-19 season before he was sidelined and subsequently traded to Chicago, although he never played in a game for the Bulls and was soon waived. He reinvigorated his career in Portland over the next two seasons by accepting a bench role that he laughed at in Oklahoma City. He finished his career playing alongside James in Los Angeles.
Outside of court, Anthony has become increasingly outspoken about social issues, including police violence, after appearing in a homemade “Stop Snitching” video early in his career. The video discouraged people from speaking to the police about the crimes.
After George Floyd was killed by a police officer in 2020, Anthony set up a charitable investment fund with Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade to invest in communities of color, as well as to push for causes such as changes to the criminal justice system.
In his retirement video, Anthony said he doesn’t believe his legacy is his exploits on the court because “his story has always been about more than just basketball.”
“A legacy that belongs to me? My son,” Anthony said, addressing his teenage son, Keanu Anthony. “Chase your dreams,” he added. Don’t let anything hold you back. Don’t let anything get in the way. My legacy lives now and forever through you.”