At one point in time, Carmelo Anthony was one of the top players in the NBA. Playing for the Denver Nuggets in 2011, Melo wanted out of The Mile High City. And on the trade deadline that same year, he got his wish. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Anthony got his ideal trade to the New York Knicks. Spending six seasons there, he quickly established himself as the Knicks’ superstar of the 2010s. But, eight years ago, he had a rather questionable opinion to give VICE Sports about what it’s like living in The City That Never Sleeps.
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Melo earned the big bucks while he was in New York. Over the course of his six seasons there, he earned a whopping $125,631,432. Additionally, he was selected to one All-NBA 2nd team, and one All-NBA 3rd team, and even made an All-Star appearance every season. This likely further contributed to his earnings in the form of bonuses. All in all, his contributions to the franchise have cemented his legacy as a legendary Knickerbocker.
Carmelo Anthony perfectly described what it is like living in New York back in 2015
In 2015, Carmelo Anthony shared a statement that most people outside New York would find shocking. He claimed that while the city is perhaps the greatest on the planet, everyone who has lived there has woken up at some point, with damning thoughts about it. Thoughts that generally revolve around hatred for the Big Apple.
Having been born in Brooklyn, Melo spent eight years in New York before moving to Baltimore with his family. In 2011 he returned to the city to once again become a resident. Playing for the Knicks, Anthony was a sensation from start to finish, helping New Yorkers once again dream of championship success.
Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, there were days he felt like cursing the city. And, if his theory is correct he wasn’t the only one who felt that way. The following is what he said on the matter.
“New York is the greatest city on the planet but you not a New Yorker if you don’t wake up some days and be like, ‘Man, fuck this place’”
Carmelo Anthony once summed up NY perfectly (h/t @VICESports)
“New York is the greatest city on the planet but you not a New Yorker if you don’t wake up some days and be like, ‘Man, fuck this place’”#NationalNewYorkDay pic.twitter.com/IPCtfi0ymu
— CTRL the Narrative (@ctrlnarrative) September 21, 2023
He spent six years with the franchise and brought them some success. In particular, his 2012-2013 season remains a good memory for the city as he led them to 54 wins and helped them get past the Boston Celtics in round 1 of the Playoffs before eventually falling to the Pacers in round 2. Just that was enough to make him an all-time great.
The Knicks eventually shipped off an aging Carmelo to the OKC Thunder in 2017
Carmelo Anthony’s time in New York came to an end in 2017. Following the firing of Phil Jackson as Knicks President, the franchise hired Scott Perry. Perry, who until recently served as the Knicks’ General Manager, felt that it was time to move on from Melo, who was 33 at the time.
As such, they finalized a trade that sent the aging superstar to the Oklahoma City Thunder. A move that, in all honesty, put the 10-time All-Star in a downward spiral.
After moving to Oklahoma, Carmelo was never the same. After all, his patented iso-style of play and mid-range game became a thing of the past. And, while he was adept at shooting threes, he just didn’t fit in with the new look of the NBA. He then went on to play for the Rockets, Trailblazers, and Lakers before finally calling it quits in 2023.
