“I Wasn’t Dying”: Carmelo Anthony Dismisses LeBron James’ Life-Saving Efforts As Best Friends Link Up In Paris

Whether you are a fan or not, LeBron James undeniably has saved Team USA in Paris. Until the semi-final, Steve Kerr’s side had a walk in the park against world-class opponents. But the Nikola Jokić-led Serbian team came alive and almost crushed the gold dream. King James, in the presence of his ex-teammate and pal Melo courtside, brought back his prime with Steph Curry to cross the tough hurdle. Following the game, Melo took a dig at James over a scary incident from the past where he saved his life!

It’s a story from 2015 that every loyal James fan would know. For those who don’t, it’s a tale of friendship and bravery. Back in 2015, Bron alongside Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Paul vacationed in the Bahamas. They decided to explore the water on a banana boat and unfortunately, Melo went missing. Without a second thought, the superstar sprung into action and saved his buddy.

Cut to 2024, almost 10 years after the incident, Anthony reacted once again, but this time in a hilarious way. The former Nuggets star said, “I wasn’t dying but yeah, he came and got me.” When Melo tried to downplay it, playfully, the interviewer said, “You were floating away!” He continued, “I was. I was. He came and got me like he definitely you know Superman came and saved the day.” 

Moreover, on Rachel Nichols’ Open Run, he continued to take a light-hearted dig at LeBron James, saying, “I’m sitting like ‘why had it be him,’ ‘why couldn’t be like D-Wade’, I ain’t going to hear about it from D-Wade… You’re gonna hear it from Bron.” Although playful, that was quite an eye-opening line. Every coin has two sides, doesn’t it? It’s time to hear the make-shift lifeguard’s story.

LeBron James reveals the “only thing” on his mind during the life-saving mission

While Carmelo Anthony added a bit of humor to the story, LeBron James had a serious tone. Back in 2020, ahead of a playoff series against the Blazers, the Bahamas story became the hot buzz in the NBA world. And the media wasn’t letting James slip away without addressing it. So, the ESPN got hold of the superstar in a videoconference. “I just knew that he was not back in the boat with the rest of us, so I went out looking for him. And through the grace of God and through strength and not being afraid of the water, I was able to help him back to the boat,” he said.

“It was the only thing that was on my mind at that point and time was getting my brother back to the boat.” Importantly, LeBron James concluded his narration by saying, “I’m just happy he’s still here.” Interestingly, he brought out the same instinct in the game against Serbia, when Team USA broke down pretty badly, with nobody being able to match the pace of the game.

The superstar put up a triple-double, which is a rare feat in Olympic games. As of now, there are only 4 recorded triple-doubles in the Olympics, and two of them are from LeBron James. He dropped 16-12-10 to help the team snatch a close 95-91 win from under Nikola Jokic and Co.’s nose. Will James continue his magic against France in the Finals? Let us predictions in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.