Basketball

“LaMelo Ball is going to be in the league for a long time so you might as well use it”: Carmelo Anthony give NBA media his blessing to call the Hornets rookie ‘Melo’

Tonoy Sengupta
|PublishedMar 02, 2021

"LaMelo Ball is going to be in the league for a long time so you might as well use it": Carmelo Anthony give NBA media his blessing to call the Hornets rookie 'Melo'

Many in the NBA community spoke out against calling LaMelo Ball ‘Melo’. However, it seems that Carmelo Anthony feels differently about the matter.

LaMelo Ball has been electrifying this season, and is widely considered a favorite to win rookie of the year. But, despite his abilities, several experts have spoken out against fans and announcers referring to the 19-year-old as ‘Melo’, exclaiming it would be disrespectful to Carmelo Anthony.

Until just recently, both players had kept their silence over this argument, letting those in the media do all the talking. However, after playing a huge role in a win for the Portland Trail Blazers, against the Charlotte Hornets, Anthony finally broke his silence on the subject.

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“For me, it’s an honor”: Carmelo Anthony encourages the NBA community to call LaMelo Ball ‘Melo’

After what was an incredibly entertaining game, Carmelo Anthony sat down with interviewers for his post-game interview. And when the inevitable question about the LaMelo Ball and the nickname came up, he spoke with delight on the matter.

“I try to embrace the next generation of guys and the young players. It was fun playing against him tonight… LaMelo is going to be in the league for a long time so you might as well use it. For me, it’s an honor.”

Carmelo Anthony further went on to say that LaMelo Ball had his blessing to use the ‘three to the dome’ celebration, saying “I embrace it. I blessed him. He can do it.”

Both Melos had performed incredibly during their game. LaMelo Ball had an impressive 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 rebounds, and shooting 71.4% from beyond the arc. Not to be outdone, Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points, shooting 52.6% from the field, and 60% from deep.

It is heartwarming to see one of the most respected veterans in the game today show love to a rookie. And hopefully, these comments will finally put the debate about who gets to be called ‘Melo’ to rest.

Also Read: Richard Jefferson absolutely stumps the Nuggets guard in post-game interview

About the author

Tonoy Sengupta

Tonoy Sengupta is a Senior Editor at The SportsRush. Coming from an athletically inclined family, he has been surrounded by sports ever since he was 4 years old. But, while initially pouring all his time into Football (soccer), at 14, Tonoy discovered basketball through the countless highlights of Stephen Curry humiliating players from Curry Land. And just like that, a fiery passion for the game was ignited within Tonoy. And soon after, he decided to become a student of journalism, graduating in 2022, and choosing sports as his area of interest. Today, you can find him spending 99% of his time browsing through every type of content on every team in the NBA, before uncorking everything he has found to the world. In the 1% he isn't doing this, you can find him playing Basketball, Football, Volleyball, or practically any other sport he has had the opportunity to learn.