“When I step on that basketball court, I’m thinking about basketball, I’m thinking about winning,” said Carmelo Anthony once, and it’s evident that he’s keeping up with the same mentality. In the realm of professional basketball, a winning mentality is just not an asset but a necessity. From Michael Jordan’s ‘Flu Game’ in 1997 to Kobe Bryant showcasing his ‘Mamba Mentality’ by scoring 81 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, there are numerous instances that show why having a drive to win is important. And this time the former 10x NBA All-Star has revealed the strategy that’s set to revolutionize how we think about individual impact in basketball.

In the recent episode of their podcast, Kid Mero asked Melo if he had ever felt that during a game he had everything under his control. The All-Star took no time to answer that as he gave his insights on that matter. “It happens like when you, you got to when, when your usage rate is so high like you have a chance to win the game by yourself right? And it’s not just the confidence because you, you, because high usage rate, high usage rate you get going,” Anthony said, via 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. Not only this, Melo also added that, no matter what happens at the beginning of the game, whether the players miss or make a point, having a high usage rate would ultimately be beneficial to get into the rhythm of the play. But what is the usage rate?

The usage rate in the NBA is a statistical metric that shows how frequently a player is involved in a team’s offensive possessions while on the court. Specifically, it measures the percentage of team plays “used” by a player through field goal attempts, free throw attempts, or turnovers. But how is this important? A higher usage rate indicates that a player is more heavily involved in their team’s offense, often taking on a larger scoring burden or playmaking role. While a high usage rate can lead to inefficient play within the team, Anthony gives a new perspective on this stat suggesting at certain times having high usage rates can be beneficial. However, this isn’t the only insight given by the former Denver Nuggets small forward.

Melo also suggested that the players should always be aware of their situation and their surroundings. Most importantly, they should keep an eye on everyone who is performing well on the court so that in the last 4 or 5 minutes of the game, the player can strategize everything and score a bucket with ease. He also emphasized the fact that the players should always pay attention to what the coaching staff is telling them about the defenses or offenses because their in-game insight comes in handy. “It’s a lot of sh*t that is being kind of going through and cycled through mentally in that moment… So if you feel like you can with that game in that moment, you really feel like you can win the game because of all the sh*t I just talked about,” added Anthony.

However, while Melo Man was busy giving his own insights on winning, at the same time, he also showed his support for one of the current NBA players.

Carmelo Anthony’s direct support for Rudy Gobert amidst controversy

The Los Angeles Lakers veteran Shaquille O’Neal has been going wild with his unfiltered comments on Rudy Gobert. According to the seven-footer, the Minnesota Timberwolves center is an overrated defensive player and is not worthy of getting a salary of $205 million. After these criticisms, Melo came in direct support for the French basketball player.

Although Anthony had never played on the same team as Gobert, he was quick to share his positive opinions. According to him, Gobert’s salary is justified since the market has changed over the years with the prices of players on the rise. Along with that, the 32-year-old has won 4x NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards. Thus, he is more than worthy of getting such an amount. “It’s not Rudy’s fault, though. It’s not his, I’ma let him go, but it’s not Rudy’s fault. Like, it’s market value. You understand what I’m saying? So you’re going off the market. Yeah, maybe a couple of guys shouldn’t get paid,” said Melo on the podcast.

Anthony also dismissed Shaq by saying that no player should be judged on what money they are making but should be judged on the basis of their performance. The 10x All-Star comments have surely given a new perspective to this debate. Although Shaq hasn’t made any comments regarding this, only time will tell how this feud will develop.

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