Ahead of his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony was asked to create his all-time starting five. Having faced off against many of the greats of the game, Anthony’s insight carries weight. However, while stating his lineup, the forward made two glaring omissions.
While sharing his selection at the point guard position, Anthony said, “I had a chance to play with. I wish I played earlier in my career with him – Derrick Rose.”
Derrick Rose is a truly unique pick. In the all-time argument, many typically select Stephen Curry or Magic Johnson, but selecting a former Knicks teammate seems to be on brand for Anthony.
He proceeded to make his selection for shooting guard by saying, “I mean, I played with AI. So, I gotta go with AI.”
Allen Iverson is another interesting selection. Given the consensus for Michael Jordan being among the greatest to ever play the game, his omission is quite jarring. Still, Anthony remains consistent in his approach, since Iverson was briefly his teammate in Denver.
Moving on to the frontcourt, the 10-time All-Star had a plethora of talented forwards he could have selected, especially in the starting small forward slot. Instead, he created his frontcourt by selecting, “3’s? TMac. 4’s? I don’t know how to say this, but I would say, Garnett.”
Tracy McGrady was undoubtedly a great player. With seven All-Star nods to go with several other individual accolades, McGrady also carved out his place in history by being inducted into the Hall of Fame. But Anthony’s decision not to include LeBron James, a contemporary from his draft class and a close friend, is surprising.
Anthony went on to complete his starting five by picking his center. He said, “And then at the five. I mean, Shaq is Shaq, man.”
The selections of Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O’Neal seem more aligned with the general opinion. Although an argument can be made about picking Garnett over Tim Duncan, it is fair to say that the former had a significant impact on the game as well, rightfully earning a mention.
Anthony’s starting lineup seems to feature an intriguing blend of players. While each player is undoubtedly great in their own right, some selections stand out, primarily due to the exclusion of “greater” players in the same position.
Iverson and McGrady draw the most attention in this regard. While displaying loyalty to a former teammate seems valid, picking Iverson over Jordan simply seems imbalanced. Additionally, if loyalty were to be considered a factor in Anthony’s approach, opting for McGrady ahead of James seems to be inconsistent.
Overall, the constructed starting lineup is an offensive juggernaut, with a greater emphasis on individual scoring ability rather than collective strength. While criticizing such a selection would be plausible, it is clearly a reflection of Anthony’s influences and the specific player traits he values more.
