As soon as a GOAT debate begins, the first question on anyone’s mind is “How many championships has he won?” But basketball is a funny sport. You can be one of the best players ever but you can’t win an NBA title if you don’t have a great team. To win a ring in one of the hardest leagues in the world, everyone needs to pull their weights and more. From the front office to the coaching staff, and the players. Everyone should be aligned. However, not every superstar is fortunate enough to have all this. Two such legends are Charles Barkley and Carmelo Anthony.

Despite their individual brilliance, the two forwards did not win a chip during their careers. But who has the greater legacy?

Carmelo Anthony’s time in the league

Carmelo Anthony was always an offensive juggernaut. From his time with the reputed Oak Hill Academy and Syracuse, Anthony’s abilities were glaringly evident. He was considered a major prospect and the Denver Nuggets selected him as the third overall pick in the iconic 2003 NBA draft. Carmelo hit the ground running but missed out on the ROY award to superstar and close friend LeBron James.

However, Melo was tearing it apart in the Western Conference. In his rookie year, the forward led the Nuggets to the playoffs for the first time in nine years. Throughout his time in Denver, Anthony never missed the playoffs despite the lack of support. However, the Nuggets bowed out of the first round every year, except 2008-09.

Over the years, Anthony formed a rivalry with the legendary Kobe Bryant. The two went against each other on both ends of the court whenever their teams clashed. Kobe and Melo went head-to-head in the 2009 Conference Finals where Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers came out on top. A few years later, he joined the New York Knicks.

Melo continued his offensive onslaught for the Knicks and took the team to the playoffs in his first season in New York. Also, he won the scoring title in 2013. But the team struggled in the playoffs. Carmelo then had stints with the OKC Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. But a ring eluded him and he retired after the 2021-22 season.

Charles Barkley’s NBA career

Charles Barkley became a huge prospect while playing college basketball. The Philadelphia 76ers selected him as the fifth overall pick despite the reservations about his fitness and eating habits. He was part of the iconic 1984 NBA draft, which had legends like Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, John Stockton, and more. Interestingly, Barkley was not keen on joining the 76ers as well.

Despite his brilliant rookie season, he lost the ROY award to an incredible Jordan. Despite Barkley’s spirited performances in the years that followed, the 76ers failed to make a deep run in the playoffs. Eventually, he left the team and joined the Phoenix Suns in 1992.

In his first season with the Suns, Barkley won the regular season MVP award. Not many players could brag they won the MVP award against a prime Jordan. Furthermore, he led the Suns to the NBA Finals after almost two decades. However, they faced the Chicago Bulls, who were looking to win their third straight title.

Despite Barkley’s efforts, the Suns were no match for the Bulls who won the title 4-2. Barkley averaged 27.3 points, 13 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. In the next two seasons, Chuck and the Suns faced defeats at the hands of the Houston Rockets who were the eventual champions on both occasions. Barkley and his team were clearly unfortunate to face the champions in the playoffs for three straight years.

Barkley then joined the Rockets in 1996 in an attempt to finally win a ring. However, it did not work out and the Hall of Famer announced his retirement in 2000.

Charles Barkley vs. Carmelo Anthony

Charles Barkley mostly played as a Power Forward even though he was only 6’4″. And he dominated the boards during an era when big and powerful centers controlled the league. On the other hand, Carmelo Anthony was predominantly a Small Forward despite being 6’7″. Anthony is one of the best scorers the league has ever seen. He possessed the ability to score in different ways, which always kept the defenders guessing.

While Barkley did not have the same shooting touch as Carmelo, he was still a great scorer. During Melo’s scoring title season, he averaged 28.7 points. However, his best scoring average for the season was 28.9 points. Barkley is not far off. His best scoring return for the season was 28.3 points while also grabbing 11.9 rebounds per game.

While Carmelo’s career points average is 22.5, Barkley’s average is 22.1. However, it has to be noted that Melo played 187 more games. But the numbers are even closer in the playoffs. While Anthony has 23.1 points per game, Barkley averaged 23. Furthermore, Chuck played 40 more games. Also, Barkley leads Melo in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks for both regular season and playoffs.

So in terms of numbers, Barkley is the clear winner. Also, when you look at achievements, Barkley was an MVP, an All-Star MVP, 11x All-Star, a one-time rebounding leader, made the All-NBA First Team five times, All-NBA Second Team five times, etc. Carmelo has a scoring title, was a 10x All-Star, made the All-NBA Second Team twice, made the All-NBA Third Team four times, etc. While Melo has three Olympic Gold medals, Chuck has two. Furthermore, Barkley was a Conference champion and led his team to the Finals despite the lack of support he had.

Both Melo and Barkley were part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team for their incredible impact on the game of basketball. Notably, Chuck was part of the 50th Anniversary Team as well. And there is only one winner here, and it is Barkley who is arguably the best power forward ever.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.