After a stellar nineteen-season career, Carmelo Anthony recently announced his retirement from the NBA on May 22nd, 2023. Drafted third overall to the Denver Nuggets, after NBA superstar LeBron James and draft bust Darko Miličić, Melo immediately made an impact taking his team to the playoffs. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year race to the aforementioned LeBron James in a highly controversial decision.
Thank you #STAYME7O pic.twitter.com/4au8cOd13s
— Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) May 22, 2023
Through a video announcement on Twitter captioned “Thank you #STAYME70.” Carmelo confirmed his suspected retirement due to his non-participation in the 2023-2024 NBA season. Reminiscing on not just his career as a basketball player, but as a man with a purpose towards the cities and communities he represented, he thanks the fans and places that made him Carmelo Anthony.
How many NBA teams did Carmelo Anthony play for?
Carmelo spent the first eight years of his career with the Nuggets, notably making All-Star appearances from 2008-2011. He also made several All-NBA third and second teams from 2006 to 2010. Carmelo wore the number 15 with the Nuggets who else wears that same number for the franchise? Two-time back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic.
In February 2011, Melo was traded to the New York Knicks in a large package deal. Here he spent the prime of his career, notably becoming the scoring champ in 2013. While he didn’t have as much post-season success as the franchise would have liked there is no argument to be made against the fact that he is one of the greatest Knicks of all time and should be having his famous #7 retired.
Coming off of many injuries and a knee surgery in 2015 it seemed that Carmelo never recovered to be the same superstar he once was with the Nuggets and Knicks. Sure he was still elite but the athleticism and hustle of the old Carmelo seemed to be lacking. After his one year with OKC, he was a journeyman with several other Western Conference teams.
Signing his last contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on August 6th, 2021, Melo was granted the opportunity to play with his draft classmate LeBron James and have one last shot at the construct that evaded him most his whole career, a championship.
Unfortunately, he rather faced a disappointing injury-riddled season that culminated in an eleventh-seed finish and the end of his playing career. Due to his short tenure with these teams (OKC, Portland, Houston, and LAL), it is very unlikely that any of them will retire his jersey.
Carmelo Anthony will be remembered as, arguably the greatest basketball player for Team USA, and most importantly, as the man who saved New York City basketball. The NBA world hopes that his legacy will be continued through his son Kiyan Anthony.