When asked to respond to recent comments made by Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic took the high road by paying his respects. Speaking openly about the origin behind his jersey number (which is the same that Anthony wore during his Nuggets tenure), Jokic explained that he did not pick 15 to spite the basketball legend. Rather, he was just following a tradition he had practiced for his whole life.
“I think I’ve been wearing 15 my whole life. In my home town I was wearing 15 and then I was wearing 14 for one moment I think. Of course, he [Carmelo Anthony] was a great player.”
Nuggets' Nikola Jokic On @carmeloanthony's Comments on Number 15:
"I think I've been wearing 15 my whole life.
When asked did he knew that someone had worn the number 15 before Joker replied, "Of course, he [Carmelo Anthony] was a great player."… pic.twitter.com/U3Yr4k2ItD
— Landon Buford (@LandonBuford) January 13, 2024
Jokic wore 15 for pretty much the entirety of his basketball career, so it was only natural for him to pick the number up when he made the leap to the NBA. Curiously, the Nuggets did not resist this move from Jokic, despite their history with Carmelo Anthony. Today, 2 MVPs and a championship later, Jokic has made the number his own and it’ll be his name that hangs in the rafters of Ball Arena when it’s all said and done.
Carmelo Anthony’s Wild Accusation
The only reason this topic has surfaced recently is some comment made by retired Nuggets star Carmelo Antony. He spent his first eight seasons with the Nuggets and broke out as one of the top scorers in the league. So when the Nuggets willingly let Jokic wear his iconic 15 jersey number, it’s no surprise that it was seen as a slap in the face for the former third-overall pick.
According to Anthony, it wasn’t an accident that the Nuggets gave away his number. Speaking on his podcast, Melo admitted that he felt the franchise only gave away his number in an effort to wipe his legacy from the history books. So far, that task ha been unsuccessful, but it’s impossible to deny that Jokic has already surpassed Anthony in almost every metric. At this point, the Nuggets would sooner retire 15 for Jokic than they would for Anthony, who left the team with nothing to show for his time there.
Historic Run For The Joker
Carmelo Anthony was a star during a very uneventful time in Denver Nuggets history. When they failed to capitalize on his talent, Anthony forced his way out and never looked back. The situation is almost the exact opposite for the Joker, who is leading the way for the greatest run in Nuggets franchise history. Fresh off winning the title, they are on pace for another 55+ win season and are major contenders to win it again.
At the center of it all has been Jokic, who continues to prove himself as the best player in the world. This season, through 39 games, he’s averaging 25.5 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game on 57.5% shooting. In short, Jokic’s impact on the court has been immeasurable over the past couple of years and just based on what he’s already done for them, the guy is entitled to wear whatever number he wants. Unfortunately for Carmelo, there’s no way he’ll win this battle but he might rest easier knowing that it’s nothing personal with the Joker.
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