There are many great players whose careers are seen in a lesser light because they were never part of a NBA championship-winning side. Carmelo Anthony, for one, is often reminded, criticized even, for the missing link in his resume, the Larry O’Brien trophy. Jay Pharaoh, though, believes otherwise. The comedian said that the New York Knicks legend has done enough to prove his greatness, in spite of missing out on the holy grail of basketball.
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He showered Anthony with lofty praise during his appearance on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. Pharaoh was in awe of Melo’s performance whenever he got a chance to catch a Knicks game.
“Every time I saw you brother I’ve always seen you turn up… It’s always like you had something to prove,” Pharoah said.
Pharaoh has been following Anthony much before NBA. The SNL star was a huge admirer of the sensational sharpshooter during Melo’s not-so-mellow run in Syracuse.
“I remember when I was watching and they would doing the draft back when I was in high school, I remember it was you and LeBron and I said ‘Melo’s got something to prove’ and I think you proved it brother. I think you’re one of the greatest players that we have had,” Pharoah lauded Anthony.
Anthony has a few crucial pieces of silverware missing in his trophy cabinet. However, despite never winning the championship or the MVP, he established himself as one of the best scorers in the league’s history.
Melo, 40, retired as a 10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA player, 1x Scoring Champion, 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, 1x Olympic Bronze Medalist, and has many more achievements against his name. The icing: he’s 10th in the NBA all-time career-scoring list.
Anthony’s one of the best Knicks player ever
Anthony had an instant impact when the Nuggets drafted him. In eight seasons with the team, the 6ft 7” player recorded 24.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. Melo was even selected to four All-Star Teams while he was at Denver.
However, the Knicks got Melo during the prime of his career. He was traded to the franchise midway into the 2010-2011 season and had a lasting impact. He led the Knicks to the playoffs, ending a six-year drought.
The swingman averaged 24.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in the following seven campaigns. He was just unlucky to not have success in the postseason. Anthony, however, made it to six All-Star Games and finished top 3 in the MVP voting on one instance while playing for the Knicks.
While players in the league gravitated toward scoring multiple three-pointers, Melo remained true to his craft: one of the few players who kept the mid-range jumper alive. Anthony, who is often praised as one of the best pure scorers to grace the NBA hardwood, retired earlier in the 2024 offseason.
