Carmelo Anthony has never been shy of expressing his heritage. Born to a Puerto Rican father, Melo even tattooed the national flag on his hand. It was in 2002 when he truly went to connect with his roots, after losing his father at the age of 2. During that trip, was there a recruitment pitch from the national team? Apparently, there was! As the current national team GM, and former NBA star describes what led to a breakdown in negotiation.

“Did you almost get Carmelo Anthony to play for a Puerto Rican team?” Mike Miller, on his podcast alongside Udonis Haslem, asked a fan question to former Heat star Carlos Arroyo. The 45-year-old has been serving as the national team’s GM since 2021 and also played in the 2004 Olympics for Puerto Rico. “Melo went to Puerto Rico before he went to college. Back then, you could play pro and still go to school and play in the NCAA. I think he went and tried out for a team and from what I heard, they offer him like $200 a game or something.”

Before playing for Syracuse, Carmelo Anthony had the chance to also play for a team closer to his father’s roots. But he opted out. “He was in high school though. He declined it. I think that rubbed him the wrong way. I could be wrong. That’s something you have to ask him,” Arroyo explained.

Going by Melo’s narration on Dwyane Wade’s podcast, he was asked to play for the Puerto Rican Junior National Team when he first visited. But the then-high schooler in him was oblivious to his ties to Puerto Rico. “Honestly, that was a moment of like, I have to go figure this out,” he had recalled. That would likely prompt him to opt out of it for the time being. But that wasn’t the first time he missed to opportunity to represent the Islands.

He was to play for Puerto Rico in the 2004 Olympics. But since a lot of players had dropped out from the USA roster, Melo was called up there. But it would not pan out as he would have hoped, averaging just 6.7 minutes and 2.4 points per game. Now regardless of the Knicks star backtracking on the opportunity twice, the current GM doesn’t hold it against him. Instead, given an opportunity, he would like to see another Anthony donning the Puerto Rican jersey.

“But that would have been great you know if we could still, you know, recruit his son, that’ll be great.”

Melo would go on to feature in 4 straight Olympics, winning 3 straight gold medals starting with the Redeem Team in 2008. That’s why Arroyo called Carmelo Anthony one of the greatest via The OGs podcast. “He went on to be one of the best USA players to ever play for USA basketball.”

After achieving all of it, yet another offer would come Anthony’s way.

Carmelo Anthony once again had the chance 6 years ago

During the 2018-19 season, Melo reunited with former Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni in Houston Rockets. After just one season with the Thunder, where he started 78 games, the 10x All-Star had to find a new home. That’s when the Rockets and his former coach came calling, but the reunion did not last too long. In fact, a few months after signing with the team, then-GM announced parting ways with the veteran forward.

The search for a new home brought a call from an unexpected source. “With his connection to Puerto Rico, his NBA stardom and his experiences, our fans would love it.” In a 2018 report from ESPN, another Puerto Rican player and then Mavs star, J. J. Barea opined, “We tried a bunch to get him in the past, but of course nobody blamed him for playing for Team USA. But if he ever wants a chance to represent us, it would be awesome to have him.”

There was also a pitch from Yum Ramos, former president of the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. And it seems the country has still held onto the unfilled wish from the past. After Kiyan follows in his father’s footsteps for Syracuse recruitment, will he choose a different national team? At least that is what the GM Carlos Arroyo is hoping for.