NBA legend Carmelo Anthony drew headlines for his comments on the “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast with co-host Mero. Anthony, who retired in May with over 28,000 career points, believes he held his own defensively against some of the greatest scorers in league history.
“Nobody in my two decades playing can say I busted Melo’s ass,” Anthony said.
Anthony, 39, was lauded as a prolific scorer in his 19-year career that featured notable stints with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. The 6-foot-9 forward was drafted third overall by the Nuggets in 2003 and was immediately seen by many as a versatile scorer. Defense wasn’t viewed as one of Anthony’s strengths, but he showed flashes of being a stout defender during the 2009 Western Conference Finals.
During the series, Anthony was hellacious when defending then-Lakers star Kobe Bryant. He consistently slid his feet and kept his hands active when defending the multidimensional Bryant. Although the Nuggets lost in six games, Anthony showed he’s more than capable of defending at a high level.
The Baltimore native was part of the 2008 USA Redeem Team that featured notable scorers LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Dwyane Wade. With only one basketball to share, Anthony and others contributed with quick defensive rotations and constant communication en route to a gold medal.
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