The Corridor of Fame awaits Carmelo Anthony after the NBA’s ninth all-time main scorer — and the Madison Sq. Backyard record-holder for factors in a single sport — formally introduced his retirement in a “bittersweet” farewell he posted Monday to his social media accounts.
“Now the time has come for me to say goodbye to the sport that gave me function and pleasure,” Anthony, a 10-time All-Star who performed seven of his 19 NBA seasons with the Knicks, mentioned in a videotaped message. “I bear in mind the times once I had nothing, only a ball on the court docket and a dream with one thing extra. However basketball was my outlet.”
The Brooklyn-born Anthony didn’t play this season and retires with out successful an elusive title or ever reaching the NBA Finals, advancing to the Western Convention Finals as soon as with the Nuggets in 2009 earlier than he was shipped to the Knicks in a blockbuster commerce on the 2011 commerce deadline.
Nonetheless, he led Syracuse to an NCAA title as a freshman in his lone school season in 2003 and he earned three Olympic gold medals for USA Basketball in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
His 31 appearances over 4 Olympics are probably the most for any males’s participant in U.S. historical past, and he additionally holds American data for factors (37) and 3-pointers (10) in a single sport.
His finest season in New York got here in 2012-13, when he fronted the Knicks to a 54-win common season and the second spherical of the playoffs, marking the newest time the franchise had superior within the postseason till this spring.
Anthony led the league in scoring that season at 28.7 factors per sport, ending third in league MVP voting.
His 62 factors towards the Charlotte Bobcats in January 2014 are probably the most by any participant in a single sport in Backyard historical past, and he averaged 24.7 factors, 7.0 rebounds and a couple of.3 assists throughout his time with the Knicks.
It stays to be seen whether or not that physique of labor will likely be sufficient for Anthony to sooner or later have his No. 7 jersey retired to the MSG rafters.
“Within the seven years he performed for the Knicks, Melo gave The Backyard crowd some unforgettable recollections and garnered a number of All-Star and All-NBA picks,” the Knicks mentioned in a press release. “He additionally led the best way off the court docket with participation in numerous group applications.”
Anthony, who was traded to the Thunder in 2017, additionally performed for the Rockets and the Path Blazers earlier than touchdown with the Lakers in 2021-22.
He completed his profession with 28,289 factors, trailing solely LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal in NBA historical past.
Kevin Durant is the closest lively participant on the listing, practically 1,400 factors behind Anthony, who was chosen as one of many league’s 75 best gamers final 12 months.
“Carmelo Anthony is among the NBA’s all-time nice gamers and ambassadors,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned in a press release. “We congratulate him on a outstanding 19-year profession and look ahead to seeing him within the Corridor of Fame.”
Anthony, who will flip 39 on Could 29, was chosen third total by the Nuggets in 2003, as a part of the loaded draft class that additionally featured James (first), Chris Bosh (fourth) and Dwyane Wade (fifth).
Anthony acquired a rousing ovation at MSG when he attended Sport 2 of the second spherical of the playoffs towards the Warmth this month.
He was seated subsequent to his 16-year-old son Kiyan, a four-star highschool guard for Lengthy Island Lutheran within the Class of 2025.
Kiyan Anthony is Carmelo’s son together with his ex-wife, actress and former MTV VJ La La Anthony, who filed for divorce final 12 months after a number of years of separation.
“Individuals ask what I consider my legacy is,” Carmelo Anthony mentioned. “It’s not my feats on the court docket that come to thoughts, all of the awards or reward. As a result of my story has at all times been greater than basketball. My legacy, my son … I’ll without end proceed by means of you. The time has come so that you can carry this torch.”
