In the summer of 2003, New York City’s baseball scene was ablaze with anticipation. The Harlem’s Rucker Park was poised to host what many considered the ultimate showdown in street basketball history. But the game never happened. “The Greatest Game That Never Was,” it came to be known as, after Slam magazine tagged it. Twenty-one years in, and Carmelo Anthony is not quite yet healed from this event.

In an attempt to settle the beef between themselves, Jay-Z and Fat Joe decided to go at each other through a game of basketball two decades ago. Both the squads were to have some up-and-coming names, including Melo, Jamal Crawford, LeBron James, and then some established – Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal among others. Team Roc-a-Fella vs Team Terror it was going to be. But the players themselves weren’t completely aware of the other players on team, yet, Yao Ming, was a name of higher anticipation. 

14th August marked 21 years of the iconic await. So when a prompt brought it up on the 7 pm in Brooklyn Podcast, Melo had to relay his view of the game. “There was rumours that Yao [Yao Ming] was coming… I think Shaq started that sh*t. Shaq was like if Yao Ming play I’ll play,” he revisited. 

Fat Joe had selected the 7-foot-6 center to be a part of the “Terror Squad” alongside Melo. Shaquille O’Neal had later said in an interview, the only reason he agreed to play in the Rucker Park match, was because Yao Ming was playing it. The 4x NBA champion even stated that although he was a good friend of Fat Joe, he decided to play for the rivals as Ming was in his team.

Melo reveals the organizers were trying to sell the idea, saying, “they shooting the movie, it’s going to be crazy, and all that.” But Melo was already sold with the few names he had learnt were going to be taking part. He says the teams were primarily influenced by a player’s connection with a rapper but also on the star power. Bron for Melo, Shaq for Yao, and any combination similar.

So with 10,000 people in attendance, this was going to be the biggest basketball game that Harlem had experienced at that time. But due to a sudden blackout on the night of August 14, the game wasn’t possible. Even though new dates were set for the game to be continued, it never transpired either. New York really slipped on the opportunity to experience such a majestic game there and Melo expresses for all.

“It was heartbreaking though, a lot of things happened from that situation, sad situation… we really wanted to play that would’ve been like one of the greatest games of all time ever,” said Anthony in his podcast. 

Guess we have got the rappers to thank for bringing up the excitement, where Jay Z, alongside settling their beef, wanted to promote his signature Reebok footwear and the two “Blueprint albums” that he had released. It would have certainly been a better platform with Sebastian Telfair, Jamal Crawford, LeBron James, Lamar Odom, and Shaquille O’Neal, on one end and Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Carmelo Anthony, Jermaine O’Neal and Yao Ming on another. 

However, while showdown never materialized, the legacy of the matchup lives on.

Melo, who would go on to don the Knicks jersey five years later and eventually make the Banana Boat crew with LeBron James from the opponent team, now adores the idea of owning a franchise themselves. 

Opponents to teaming up someday, dreams Carmelo Anthony

The 6-foot-7 small forward has previously expressed interest in co-owning an NBA franchise. So when asked on the podcast if he wishes to build on it in partnership with Miami Heat legend Dwayne Wade and LeBron James, Melo was ready for it. 

“I would love it, that’s how you create what they talk about generational. You get what I’m saying: that’s generational,” Anthony said.  He also revealed he is moving around, trying to raise money with his sports funds, to try and tap into the saturated market.

Wade, who retired from the NBA in 2019 after a successful career with the Heat, has been actively involved in business ventures since then. He became the minority owner of the Utah Jazz in 2021 and is also a part-owner of the WNBA team Chicago Sky. Bron, on the other hand, the only active billionaire in NBA, has also hinted interest in owning a franchise. 

With NBA’s possible expansion in talks, could we get to see a possible team up?

“Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.”