There are those who can make the NBA just off of pure talent alone but it takes a true student of the game to rise to stardom. Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony understood that and did everything in his power to seek greatness from anywhere he could find. His exploits led him to learn from arguably the greatest scorer in NBA history, Michael Jordan.
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Anthony even made a name for himself before reaching the NBA for that very trait. In the 2003 NCAA Tournament, his incredible knack for scoring helped propel Syracuse to a National Championship.
He may have been miles ahead of his contemporaries in high school and college, but that gap closed quickly once he reached the NBA. Anthony could still score, but it became more difficult to tally points. That was until Jordan broke down the art of scoring to him.
“Them weeks I went and spent with [Michael Jordan], he really taught me angles,” Anthony said on 7 PM in Brooklyn. “He taught me the art of scoring. How to average 28 the easiest way.”
The idea of averaging 28 points per game seems incredibly difficult. After all, only a select few in NBA history have been able to achieve such a feat. Jordan averaged 28 or more points 11 times in his 15-year career. He taught Anthony that it was easier than it looked.
“Seven points a quarter. When you think about seven points a quarter, that’s a three, a layup and two free throws. Easy points,” Anthony proclaimed.
Once Jordan broke down the game for Melo in that aspect, it became much easier. As a result, he went on to average 28 or more points three separate times in his career. But he also sought the wisdom from other legends to make the job easier.
“Paul Pierce [taught me] how to play on both sides. Left pivot, right pivot. How to spin going right, how to spin going left. Have a counter for a counter for a counter,” Anthony said.
Pierce and Jordan were only the tip of the iceberg of players who shaped Anthony into the player he was. The 10-time All-Star went on to name Adrian Dantley, Sam Cassell, Glenn Robinson, Ron Mercer, and Kiki Vandeweghe as other sources of inspiration. Once Anthony started to train with Kobe Bryant, however, he became a complete player.
“By the time I got to Kobe, I was already fine-tuned when it came to my footwork,” Anthony said. His development up to that point allowed him to push himself when he was in the lab with the Los Angeles Lakers legend.
Anthony’s testimony is a great source of information for young players. It’s important to do your research and seek guidance. As good as a player may think they are, someone is bound to be better in a certain area. It never hurts to learn more.
