Injuries are part and parcel of an NBA player’s life. But few ever reveal the full scope of the physical and mental toll they endure behind the scenes. During a recent appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Carmelo Anthony got candid about a difficult stretch in his career that most fans didn’t fully grasp at the time.
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Melo opened up about the lingering knee injury during the 2014–15 season and the unconventional mental approach he used to bounce back. Melo also spoke on the uncertain nature of numerous things in a player’s career.
He said that one can’t control injuries, front office dramas, media, or the fans. The only thing that is under a player’s control is how they play. But when injuries happen, it even goes out of hand. Melo revealed that heading into the 2015 All-Star Game, he was already dealing with a serious knee issue for which he had to undergo surgery.
Shockingly, no one knew about it at the time. What followed was a grueling rehab process, not just physically, but mentally. After undergoing surgery, Melo acknowledged that he knew he wouldn’t return to 100% right away. “Came back the next year, I knew I wasn’t, there’s no way like, I was 100%,” he said.
That realization forced him to take a different route toward recovery and performance. Melo couldn’t practice like he usually did, so he leaned heavily on mental tools, such as visualization. He said, “First of all, you can’t work out. So, that’s when you start visualizing the game in a sense.” But even that wasn’t the end of his problems.
With limited ways to train himself, Melo started working with things he could do. However, the entire process was extremely frustrating because he knew it wasn’t going to be enough. Being forced to compromise on the way he prepared himself for games didn’t sit right with the Knicks legend, but he didn’t have better options.
“My first step ain’t there. I ain’t got no lift going left. So, you gotta find certain sh*t to complement that. It’s hard, it’s difficult,” Melo said. That transformation was subtle but crucial in extending his career. It also showcased the underrated mental side of his game, which often went unnoticed beneath the surface of his scoring prowess.
As troubling as the time was for him, Carmelo Anthony is glad that he wouldn’t have to undergo something like that in today’s game. While he’s confident about his chances as a player in the modern-day game, the pressure that players have to deal with is immense.
