In his heyday, Carmelo Anthony was a walking highlight reel, nearly impossible to contain. And apparently, he believes his skills would have overwhelmed Celtics legend Larry Bird. Talking about legendary matchups, the 10-time All-Star didn’t hesitate when he said, “It’ll be a highly competitive game, but we win, and we have youth…” Yes, that’s Melo asserting he could have outplayed the 1992 Dream Team and Bird himself.

In his eyes, the 2008 squad wasn’t just younger; they were flat-out tougher. “Yeah, like those guys were beat up like Larry B was on the ground like laying down…” he added, painting a picture of a worn-out legend no match for the newer breed. For Melo, the ’90s guys had more fun, but the 2008 team? They came to dominate.

But while Melo believes he could handle past legends, not everyone agrees. Former Hawk Jeff Teague didn’t hesitate when asked about Melo’s chances against today’s competition. What was his response on the Club 520 Podcast? Short, brutal, and definitive –“No. He not beating the Celtics.”

Besides, the debate didn’t stop there. While one co-host was convinced Melo could push through to the Eastern Conference Finals, Teague wasn’t having it. “Bro. It’s the Celtics: Jalen Brunson. [He] not gonna beat Jalen Brunson.” But another host shot back, “He gonna water Jalen Brunson,” showing just how split the room really was.

Teague didn’t dismiss the notion outright; instead, he clarified, “He kind of did have to hoop by himself.” Melo didn’t really elevate his teammates, he just went out there to kill. Even the co-host nodded along, “Yeah, bro. He don’t make people better.” That’s tough.

Critics have often highlighted Carmelo Anthony’s scoring prowess while questioning his ability to elevate his teammates. Phil Jackson, former Knicks president, opened up about Carmelo on The Curious Leader with Coby Karl podcast.

“Carmelo, I think, wanted to be a leader, but I don’t think he completely knew how to be a leader as a player.” Perhaps this sentiment is well-reflected in his career average of 2.7 assists per game. Clearly, a primary scorer rather than a facilitator. Despite his individual accolades, including ten All-Star selections, Anthony’s teams frequently fell short in the postseason. So the debates about his leadership impact on team success is justified.

And while Melo’s confidence stays sky high, he has admitted there’s one NBA icon he couldn’t top—but that’s a story for another time.

Carmelo Anthony can’t beat Michael Jordan

Carmelo Anthony has never been shy about comparing eras – but when it comes to Michael Jordan, he hits the brakes. Melo admitted that not every legend from back in the day is beatable. And when it comes to MJ, he pointed out something important—there isn’t just one version of Jordan. “You gotta know what prime you’re talking about,” Melo explained, suggesting that trying to beat MJ isn’t as simple as picking a year.

Moving along, Melo gave a breakdown that only someone who’s studied the game would know. He mentioned the high-flying, dominant Jordan from ’92. Then there was the comeback version rocking number 45. But it’s the 1997 version that really had Melo pausing.

“It’s 23, 97-98 Jordan see that’s a different beast right there that you dealing with 97-98,” he said. Clearly, Melo knows there are levels to this.

Still, Melo didn’t stop with MJ. He took a moment to shine light on other underrated icons—guys like Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, and several others who often get left out of the GOAT convo.

Melo’s confidence is legendary, but even legends have limits. Could he take down Bird? Maybe. But could he beat today’s Celtics? Jeff Teague – and history – seem to say otherwise.