Where Did It All Go Wrong For Melo?
Carmelo Anthony was once destined for greatness in the NBA, but poor decision-making has fogged his destiny
The drama surrounding Carmelo Anthony doesn’t appear over with.
As the perennial NBA All-Star hits perhaps the lowest point of his career – TMZ recently reported that Anthony and his wife, La La, are paddling through some tough waters in their marriage, and the duo are reportedly “separated” – it’s only natural to question where it all went wrong for Anthony?
We have to revisit his entire career to find out.
Before the bright lights of the NBA, Carmelo Anthony was just a regular teenager with aspirations of putting Baltimore on the map, just like every other kid.
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Not many people are lucky enough to make it out of Baltimore. If you’re from there – as I am – you know it’s a rough city. Anthony used basketball to keep him on the right path.
Before long, nearly everyone in West Baltimore knew Anthony was different – special. After one summer, Anthony was averaging 25.2 points during AAU tournaments and establishing himself as a blue-chip recruit. The following year, Anthony transferred to Oak Hill Academy, a school that consists of major talent from around the country.
Anthony guided them to 42 straight victories, a plethora of tournament victories and many huge wins over other top-level schools – even one against LeBron James, where their friendship sprouted. By the end, Anthony grew into a five-star national recruit.
The Birth Of “Melo”
Instead of taking the advice of LeBron James, who thought that he should forgo college and enter the NBA Draft following his senior season in high school, Carmelo Anthony decide to go to Syracuse.
On his 17th birthday, Anthony verbally committed to Syracuse, where he would go on to average 22.2 points and 10 rebounds on 45 percent shooting from the field en route to leading the Orange to their first basketball National Championship in program history.
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The Baltimore native had made his mark, and it was time for the NBA.
Anthony joined a deep 2003 draft class – arguably the greatest one of all-time – highlighted by three of his friends – LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
James may have been the kid phenom with all of pressure entering the league, but Anthony had his own expectations to live up to. After all, as a freshman, he had just led Syracuse to a National Championship.
The Denver Nuggets, who were in the midst of a eight-year playoff drought, gladly made Carmelo Anthony the third overall pick in the draft.
Anthony wasted no time in proving his worth. By the end of his rookie season, Anthony had successfully ended Denver’s postseason drought and averaged an impressive 21 points, three assists and six rebounds per game – he finished second, to LeBron, in NBA Rookie of the Year voting. The Nuggets snuck into the playoffs as the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
During his sophomore campaign, Anthony led the Nuggets to a second-straight postseason appearance behind another 21 points, three assists and six rebounds per game. This time, though, Denver finished as the 7th seed in the West.
However, after early playoff exits in back-to-back seasons, Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik was shown the door. Enter George Karl.
In years three and four, Anthony began to take significant leaps. He would go on to average 27 points on 48 percent shooting in year three and 29 points on 48 percent shooting in year four. Anthony, like he had done his whole life, was taking the Mile-High city – and the NBA – by storm.
In 2007, Anthony was voted into his first NBA All-Star game. A couple months later, Anthony cracked the top 10 in jersey sales. Anthony’s popularity was growing by the day. He was featured on numerous commercials, representing the NBA, and had recently signed a $60 million shoe deal with the Jordan Brand.
Eventually, the honeymoon end and it all began to change. Critics began to see one glaring weakness in Anthony’s stardom – the lack of playoff wins.
Melo Trade Drama
During the summer of 2010, Anthony saw some of his closes friends – LeBron, Wade and Bosh – team up in Miami to create the NBA’s new Big 3.
At the time, in comparison, Anthony had experienced six first-round playoff exists and one Western Conference Finals appearance. Ironically or not, as LeBron, Wade and Bosh had come together to build what would become a mini-dynasty in Miami, it dawned on Anthony that it was probably time for a change.
Instead of agreeing to a three-year contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, he was eyeing his own free agency sweepstakes during the summer of 2011. The Nuggets weren’t going to risk Anthony walking in free agency, though, so they decided to engage in trade talks during the 2010-11 season.
Overall, Carmelo Anthony has missed the playoffs four-straight years and that coveted first NBA Championship seems further than ever
The Nuggets eventually traded Anthony to the New York Knicks, where he happily signed a contract extension – in what was marketed as a homecoming for him.
New Chapter For Melo
Carmelo Anthony had everything he could possibly want: money, the bright lights, celebrities on his sidelines and was playing every night in Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of basketball.
With Amar’e Stoudemire flanking him, it was time to win.
Instead, it was déjà vu for Anthony all over again.
He continued to play chess against opposing defenses, averaging 26.3 points in 27 games since the trade in 2011. He was voted in, again, as an NBA All-Star starter. His commercials and shoe deals were bigger and better. And his jersey had become the most popular buy in the NBA.
But the early playoff exits persisted. In 2011, the Knicks were bounced in the first-round by the Boston Celtics. In 2012, by the Miami Heat. In 2012-13, though, after a coaching change, the Knicks would finish with 54 wins and second place in the Eastern Conference.
The stage was set for a potential clash in the Eastern Conference Finals matchup against his old friends in Miami. However, it never happened. The Knicks, instead, were upset in the second round by the Indiana Pacers.
Then, the very next season. ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.
Mike Woodson was fired in 2014, Phil Jackson was brought on to save the franchise and Derek Fisher was hired as the team’s new head coach.
After missing the playoffs for a second-straight season, though, Carmelo Anthony hit the free agent market again.
Instead of signing with a Chicago Bulls team that many perceived were a Carmelo Anthony away from competing for a championship, Anthony stuck to his guns and “trusted in Phil” – and $120 million.
The Zen Master didn’t deliver, though. Overall, Carmelo Anthony has missed the playoffs four-straight years and that coveted first NBA Championship seems further than ever.
So, when did, everything go sideways for Anthony?
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It could’ve been electing not to re-sign with Denver. It could’ve been demanding a trade to New York, gutting the Knicks roster, instead of waiting for free agency. Or maybe it could have been choosing to “trust” Phil Jackson and/or the money over a loaded Chicago Bulls team.
Carmelo Anthony is a hall of famer, but his questionable decisions will hurt his career forever.