Retired NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony and Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James have been close friends for over two decades. The duo was part of the same NBA Draft Class (2003), and quickly became friends in the lead-up to it, where the former was picked first overall and the latter went third. The retired star was recently a guest on the ‘7 PM in Brooklyn’ podcast. While discussing his career, he recalled a stunning story involving James and 11-time NBA title-winning head coach Phil Jackson.
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In an interview with ESPN in 2016, Jackson, then the president of the New York Knicks, took an unprovoked shot at James. This prompted a stern response from the four-time NBA MVP. Anthony, part of the Knicks roster from 2011 to 2017, claimed Jackson, whom he already wasn’t too fond of, also caused him grief with his comment. The 10-time All-Star said:
“He put me in a f**ked up position with that [comment].”
Anthony was now tasked with siding with his close friend without causing turmoil within the organization he played for. During the three-year span where the duo worked together for the Knicks, they never saw eye-to-eye. When asked about reports claiming Jackson wanted to coach the Knicks during home games and hire another coach for when the team was on the road, Anthony slammed his former boss, saying:
“Like what you mean you only want to coach home games? Like what you come here for? We threw you the keys.”
Anthony and Jackson’s beef reached fever pitch in 2017 when the latter claimed the Knicks were better off without their franchise cornerstone. Their toxic relationship ended with both of them eventually leaving the franchise. Jackson left his role as president in the offseason, while Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder four months later.
LeBron James and Phil Jackson’s beef
Phil Jackson sparked controversy with his comments about LeBron James in an interview with ESPN in 2016. Jackson insinuated that the four-time NBA MVP decided to leave the Miami Heat and return to the Cavaliers during the 2015 offseason because the latter allowed him to do whatever he pleased.
Jackson recalled a story of the superstar telling Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra that he wanted to spend the night in Cleveland after an away game against the Cavaliers. The former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers head coach slammed James, saying:
“You can’t hold up the whole team because you and your mom and your posse want to spend an extra night in Cleveland.”
James’ agent Maverick Carter called out Jackson for using the word “posse” to describe the then-Cavaliers superstar’s associates and friends. James also did not mince words when criticizing the Knicks president. He claimed that Jackson used the term because the people he was describing were “young African-Americans,” implying that his comment had racial undertones. James also claimed that he lost respect for the 12-time NBA champion.
Jackson responded with a tame attempt at feigning ignorance, saying he did not know the word had racial connotations and regrets using it. James did not bother commenting on the issue further, and the Knicks president escaped the controversy without any significant consequences.
