Paul George Reminisces How Carmelo Anthony Handed Him His ‘Welcome to the NBA’ Moment

Carmelo Anthony was a ferocious competitor who did not care about his opponent’s reputation, proving it by going toe-to-toe against a prime Kobe Bryant in the playoffs. The forward also had no qualms about embarrassing a rookie star, as Paul George learned firsthand in 2010. 

On Podcast P, the 76ers superstar spoke about Anthony’s incredible performance against the Pacers in 2010. George, who was a bench player at the time, had heard from his teammates about the forward’s 45-point performance a year prior in a preseason game against them in Beijing.

The chatter made the rookie nervous about facing the Nuggets superstar as he felt he’d be on the receiving end of a similar hammering. To matters worse, starting forward Danny Granger was nursing an injury after slipping and falling in his bathtub.

Things weren’t looking great for George and unfortunately, his worst fears came true. Recalling what transpired, the 76ers forward told Anthony,

“We go to Denver, Danny slips and fall in the tub… I’m nervous like, “Damn, this n***a knows our coverage, like he did this to y’all in preseason, He damn sure know our coverage. We ended up playing you, that was my ‘Welcome to the NBA moment.”

The Nuggets superstar finished the game with 36 points, eight rebounds and one assist. George also had a good outing, putting up 17 points and two assists, but couldn’t contain Anthony, who led Denver to a comfortable 14-point win.

Back then, the rookie looked up to the superstar and aspired to reach his level. Fast forward to 2024, Anthony’s son Kiyan is a massive fan of George and hopes to emulate him.

Kiyan Anthony idolizes George

Kiyan Anthony’s admiration for the 76ers superstar is nearly fanatical. The 17-year-old believes that George is the Greatest of All Time (GOAT). The youngster’s opinion is radical. However, he explained on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast why he idolizes the veteran. 

He claimed that the two-way forward is one of the most fluid offensive players in the league and for him, playstyle ranks above all other parameters. He said, 

“I like seeing him get a bucket. I feel like it’s different than the way everybody else get a bucket.”

George does play with remarkable fluidity. His handles are smooth and his jump shot form is aesthetically pleasing to watch. Apart from his playstyle, his leadership and innate ability to perform under pressure have helped him cultivate a fanbase among young basketball stars like Kiyan and Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller, who also named the 76ers superstar as his GOAT. 

George’s rise from a player who was nervous about facing the likes of Carmelo Anthony to one of the game’s best two-way stars is seemingly a path that many want to replicate.