via Getty
The USA’s Carmelo Anthony holds up the national flag after winning the gold medal at the Men’s Basketball Final between USA and Spain at the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic games. London, UK. 12th August 2012. (Photo: Steve Christo) (Photo by Steve Christo/Corbis via Getty Images)
via Getty
The USA’s Carmelo Anthony holds up the national flag after winning the gold medal at the Men’s Basketball Final between USA and Spain at the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic games. London, UK. 12th August 2012. (Photo: Steve Christo) (Photo by Steve Christo/Corbis via Getty Images)
Carmelo Anthony announced his retirement after 19 years in the NBA. Fans have taken his greatness for granted for years because he failed to make it to the finals. But Carmelo has still cemented himself as one of the greatest players ever to step foot on a basketball court. Being a member of the 75th-anniversary team is an ode to how great he is as a player.
Now that he is retired, the question that comes to everyone’s mind is whether he would end up in the Hall of Fame. A former teammate has given his opinion to put things into perspective.
Carmelo Anthony gets huge praise from a former teammate
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Jason Kidd played together with Carmelo Anthony in his final season with the New York Knicks in 2013. But he also played with him on the 2008 Team USA Olympics team.
USA Today via Reuters
Nov 8, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Having seen his greatness with his own eyes, Kidd has huge praise for Carmelo Anthony. Kidd is currently the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and is going into his third year.
He praised Carmelo’s journey, making it all the way from Syracuse to the NBA. He was part of a legendary draft. He also talked about all the success he had and his skills on the court.
Kidd said, “He had success in Denver and New York. He can score with the best of them. Should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.“
Dallas Mavs' Head Coach Jason Kidd on Ex-Teammate @CarmeloAnthony Retiring After 19 Seasons:
"I got to Lucky to see one of the best do it," Says J-Kidd.
"He could score with the best of them and should be a First-Ballot Hall of Famer." #MFFL… pic.twitter.com/etHF0pnjWP
— Landon Buford (@LandonBuford) October 16, 2023
Furthermore, he was a good person. He cared about his teammates and his friends. Kidd is grateful to have gotten the chance to share the court with him and to also have seen him play on the court.
Is it certain that Carmelo will make the Hall of Fame?
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Yes, Carmelo Anthony has all the accolades, but he is missing the main one: a championship. But in his case, he has never even made it to the finals in his 19 years in the league.
He had 10 All-Star appearances, six All-NBA selections, and finished 9th on the all-time scoring list. And most importantly, he is a member of the 75th annual team that crowned him as one of the best players ever in the history of the sport. He is also a 3 time olympic gold medalist.
So even without a championship to his name, his resume is strong enough for him to be a first-ballot hall of famer. He will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2026. But having averaged over 20 PPG for 14 seasons in his career, he is sure to make it to the Hall of Fame without question.
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What do you think of Carmelo Anthony’s career? Let us know in the comments!
