Carmelo Anthony recently passed Moses Malone for ninth on the all-time NBA scoring list. Throughout his career, Anthony has established himself as one of the league’s best scorers.
Anthony has spent most of his career with the Denver Nuggets but has also had several successful seasons with the New York Knicks, and then had stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and now Los Angeles Lakers.
Melo’s Career Going on Two Decades
Anthony was part of a star-studded 2003 NBA Draft class, which included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
Through all the ups and downs, Anthony’s enthusiasm has never waned.
“I’m still here doing it,”
Carmelo Anthony said.
“I think that’s what I’m honestly excited about. I’m here in Year 19 still doing what I’m able to do. Still passionate about the game. Still passionate about coming to work every day and getting better. And what a better night to reach ninth than with a win, the way that we needed a win tonight.”
There was a point in time Anthony had trouble finding a job in this league, as he essentially sat out the 2018-19 season after an unsuccessful 10 games run with the Rockets.
Many people had written him off, as legitimate questions arose as to whether we’d see the Syracuse product ever take the floor again. However, the Portland Trail Blazers gave him an opportunity, as Anthony proved he still belongs in the league.
“A couple of years ago, nobody wanted him,”
Anthony Davis said.
“He was counted out. Doubted. And he stayed the course. Stayed a professional and got a shot in Portland. Made a name for himself again. And he’s here now and doing the same thing, picking up where he left off. It’s an honor to have him on our team, an honor to play beside him.”
Carmelo Anthony | One of the Smoothest Scorers Ever
Anthony established himself as one of the smoothest scorers in NBA history, as his ability to hit pull-up jumpers in the mid-range and drive to the basket made him arguably the toughest players to guard in the league.
Anthony made it look so easy on a nightly basis, but in his mind, it was anything but.
“Scoring the basketball is not easy. We may make it look easy, but it’s not easy,”
Anthony said.
“For me, this is 19 years of repetition. And night in and night out. Day in and day out. Every summer. Every season. I’m reaping those benefits right now because of the persistence that I have in my professionalism. What I bring to the game, how I approach the game. And I want to keep going. That’s all that matters to me.”
Because of Anthony’s all-around scoring abilities, he’s earned six All-NBA team selections, and he even came in second in the MVP race in the 2012-13 season after a successful season with the Knicks, finishing just behind LeBron James.
Stay with Knup Sports for more NBA pieces!
