Ever since Carmelo Anthony held up a newspaper that declared his Syracuse college team “CHAMPS” he was destined for greatness.
Which he found making his own headlines.
Carmelo Anthony has announced his retirement. It came the night before his former Denver Nuggets swept the last team he played for, the Los Angeles Lakers, out of the Western Conference finals. Memories of his epic 2009 WCF duel with Kobe Bryant in mind. The team that dethroned last year’s champion Golden State Warriors in the semis could have sure used his help.
Anthony has given the game a ‘Dear Basketball’ like goodbye in devotion with a video posted to his social channels. Playing career highlights with his retrospect narration and Ghostface Killah’s ‘All That I Got Is You’ featuring Mary J. Blige off the ‘Ironman’ album in the background.
Coming into the league like LeBron James for one of the best draft classes that believed the hype, Anthony even inspired the gold striking Nuggets to refresh their colour schemes to baby blue, like the wine and gold of Cleveland for LBJ.
Is he a Denver legend, or a New York one? Coming home to the Knicks and giving The Garden hope through the hurt for the first time since Ewing, Starks and the rest of those hard knocks.
The answer is both. You know who the number 7 belongs to. If that jersey doesn’t find a home in the Mecca rafters of Madison Square, there really is something wrong. The Mile High 15 on the other hand? Well, a certain Joker who just made franchise and NBA history may be holding all those cards on his way from former MVP to champion.
Midrange magic with three fingers to the dome from downtown, ‘Melo is one of the best scorers to ever snap the strings. The member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team is also one of the greatest to ever hit the hardwood.
From the association, to the college certified Hall of Fame. Carmelo Anthony is an international legend too. Who’s more iconic? Hoodie ‘Melo, or the Olympic one? The social justice activist who truly matters has done even more off the floor.
Just like his brilliant book ‘Where Tomorrows Aren’t Promised‘, the all-star was more than the glitz and glamour of the big leagues. Now the former free agent is an NBA player of yesterday, but he’ll always be a legend, no matter how many tomorrows come.
We can’t call it a comeback now after successful ones with the Portland Trail Blazers and…for about a minute…the Atlanta Hawks, who had the perfect tribute on Twitter. Anthony also played for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, before uniting with friend/rival LeBron in Lakerland. Will the King follow suit with his own announcement?
“I remember the days when I had nothing, just a ball on the court and a dream of something more. But basketball was my outlet. My purpose was strong, my communities, the cities I represented with pride and the fans that supported me along the way. I am forever grateful for those people and places because they made me Carmelo Anthony.”
Now it has all come to a curtain call close, you can find Anthony’s acclaim amongst the high altitude of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and the core of the Big Apple. Not to mention the gold of the world’s stage.
Kiyan Anthony, the legacy lives with you. Carmelo, we thank you. We wish you could stay ‘Melo, in this game, like you always will our hearts.
