“F**k outta here!” It is not just a segment on Carmelo Anthony’s podcast. Apart from his efficient shooting, Melo was famous for three to the Dome celebration and his rebounding. Even though his rebound averages are not elite, people still remember the way he latched onto one. Speaking about it, two of his former teammates couldn’t stop laughing when they spoke about the 10x NBA All-Star and his antiques on the court.

Iman Shumpert and Trevor Ariza were both teammates with Carmelo Anthony at different times. Speaking on his podcast, Shumpert said, “Melo took advantage of you being light.” Ariza agreed and explained how “Somebody else shooting free throw. He’s trying to drive you into the backstop to get the rebound.”

Shumpert was Carmelo Anthony’s teammate during the Knicks run and played alongside each other 188 times. So he could easily recall Melo shouting, “Get the F**k outta here!” By the time Ariza and the 6x All-Team NBA star paired up first in Portland and then in Lakers, everybody was used to the rebounding and the commentary from Melo while contesting for it. And when he was asked about the reason behind it, he gave a very detailed answer.

“I’ve been doing it for a long time. I’m coming with the whole mindset, focus, and motivation to get that rebound and being aggressive on the glass, and I’m motivating myself.” Carmelo Anthony continued, “It’s a mind game when I prepare myself to go and get those rebounds. I love rebounding. Even though my numbers are down right now, I love rebounding. It makes it fun for me to go out there and challenge myself to rebound.”

Similar to Carmelo Anthony’s experience, Shumpert and Ariza spoke about other legends and their legacy. Both of them shared different stories about 2 different individuals, yet the drive to win the game was the same.

Carmelo Anthony’s mind games were not new for Shumpert and Ariza

In the latest podcast episode of Iman Amongst Men, Ariza spoke about the things he learned from Kobe Bryant. The 39-year-old played for Purple and Gold in two different time periods and one was alongside the ‘Black Mamba’. “One thing that I learned from him. He was always thinking of the next play, the play, and or two plays… He’s like a boxer.”

People recognized the 5x NBA Champion for his mind games, which affected not only his opponents but also his teammates. His studying every rule and his work ethic of first in last out, helped him notice several patterns. Speaking about patterns, the host Iman Shumpert couldn’t resist sharing his take.

While it was not about Kobe, the 34-year-old spoke about LeBron James. “That’s how LeBron does things and instead of boxing, I always thought of LeBron as a good card player.” LeBron and Shumpert won a championship in 2016 for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Despite naming different sports, it’s clear why Kobe and LeBron are given GOAT status. Similarly, the story about Carmelo Anthony and his mindset for winning every rebound proves how different athletes have different approaches to the game.

“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.”