Carmelo Anthony has announced his retirement from basketball. The ten-time All-Star has called time on his decorated career after 19 seasons in the NBA.
The former Los Angeles Lakers star took to Twitter to announce his retirement via a clip where he outlined his time in the league and later bid adieu.
“I remember the days I had nothing,” he started off. “Just a ball on the court, and the dream of something more. But basketball was my outlet. My purpose was strong, my communities, and the cities I represented with pride, and the fans that supported me along the way. I am forever grateful for those people because they made me, Carmelo Anthony.”
“But now the time has come for me to say goodbye to the court that gave my name, and the game that gave me purpose. This is a bittersweet goodbye to the NBA. I am excited about what the future holds for me. When people ask me what I believe my legacy is, it’s not my feats on the court that come to mind, nor the praise, because my story has always been more than basketball.”
Thank you #STAYME7O pic.twitter.com/4au8cOd13s
— Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) May 22, 2023
Anthony was named an NBA All-Star ten times and made the All-NBA teams six times. In 2021, he made the league’s 75th Anniversary Team and is widely regarded as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history — a fact that sees him in Fadeaway World’s list of all-time greatest 3-point shooters.
Melo was picked by the Denver Nuggets in the 2003 NBA draft as the third overall pick and soon grew to be a vital cog for the franchise leading them to the postseason every season from 2004-10. He also has the distinction of leading them to their first Conference Finals since 1985.
Soon after, he was traded to the New York Knicks where his career-high 62 points against the Charlotte Bobcats set the record as the team’s single-game scoring record and MSG’s single-game scoring record.
The sharpshooter later had stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets. He spent two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021 in what would be his final team averaging 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists.
His Olympics run was phenomenal as well, representing the USA a record four times and winning gold medals in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics. Melo ranks ninth on the All-time NBA scoring list and boasts a career average of 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.
Melo found himself without a franchise after playing for the Lakers last season, where they finished a disappointing 33-49, failing to make the playoffs. He was speculated to be on the radar of a few teams, but nothing materialized.
Irrespective, it doesn’t change that Melo was one of the greatest players to take the hardwood, and we wish him the very best for the future.
More to follow…
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
