In a segment on the ‘7PM in Brooklyn’ podcast, NBA legend Carmelo Anthony thought about what his game would look like if he were still active in the league today. Anthony believes he would average at least 28 points per game if he were in his prime on the Knicks today.
“I think I’ll be very similar to where I was at that point in time,” said Anthony. “Because of the makeup of the team. Not ‘I’m just gonna go score’ but I can be very effective and master s**t that I need to do in this offense. If I’m taking that player and implementing that into today’s game, it’d be very efficient, it’d be very effective. Like for what I know now and having that and being able to implement that into today? With that being said, to be able to play in this type of system today where it’s like four out, one in, pass and move… with this team, I’m averaging 28.”
What does KnicksTape Melo look like on this year’s squad? pic.twitter.com/RH4Amy4NuM
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) September 10, 2024
Interestingly, during his 19-year career, Carmelo Anthony averaged over 28 points just three times. The first time he did was in 2006-07 when he averaged 28.9 points per game (career high). The second time he did in 2009-10 when he averaged 28.2 points per game and he also did with the Knicks in the 2012-13 season, when he averaged 28.7 points per game and won his only scoring title.
Taking into account that today’s game is a lot faster than when Carmelo Antony played (and especially in his prime), it is fair to say that he would probably average around 28 points per game.
Carmelo Anthony was drafted 3rd overall to the Nuggets in 2003. After eight years in Denver (2003-2011), he forced his way to the Knicks where he hoped to make history leading them to glorious success. Sadly, while Anthony played his role to perfection, was unable to make a run with the franchise before he left in 2017.
That stretch, largely considered the best of his career, saw Anthony average 24.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 44.3% shooting. Under Mike Woodson, Mike D’Antoni, and other coaches, Anthony tried various systems and even attempted the triangle offense when Phil Jackson was hired to serve a front-office role.
None of it ever stuck and by the time Carmelo played his final game in 2022, he was still without a single Finals appearance to his name. In fact, Anthony’s entire Knicks tenure is considered a disappointment given the lack of team success they achieved with him at the helm.
In today’s game, Anthony would be much better equipped to succeed in the playoffs. Besides the intricacies of today’s fast-paced, offensive-oriented game, the Knicks have a much stronger roster that can compete with the best of the best.
With Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart, the Knicks are not just a contender in the East, they are arguably the biggest threat to Boston in the 2025 title race. With prime Carmelo Anthony on the team, they’d be nearly unstoppable.
At his best, with limited support, he was able to keep the Knicks somewhat relevant as a top-10 player in the game. In a modern offense, with weapons all around to ease the pressure, Carmelo could have thrived to a degree that we never saw during his actual NBA career.
Fortunately, the Knicks have enough now to where they might not need anyone else to win. They have everything they need to contend with the best, which is more than could be said for Melo during his NBA run. Had he been given the support that other stars had during his day, his career might have gone down very differently. At the very least, he might have more to show for his basketball career than a few Olympic medals and some All-Star appearances.
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