Carmelo Anthony is a former NBA superstar who played for a total of six teams during his 17-year professional basketball career. Anthony was one of the most highly touted high school players in the country and went on to play one year of college basketball at Syracuse University before declaring for the NBA draft in 2003. He was selected third overall by the Denver Nuggets and quickly became one of the league’s premier scoring threats. However, despite his early success, Anthony’s career has been marked by a series of highs and lows that ultimately led to his fall from grace in the NBA.
The Rise of Carmelo Anthony’s Career
Carmelo Anthony burst onto the NBA scene in 2003, and quickly established himself as one of the league’s most dynamic scorers. During his rookie season, Anthony averaged 21 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The following year, he led the Nuggets to the playoffs for the first time since 1995 and earned his first All-Star selection. Anthony continued to improve in subsequent years, averaging over 25 points per game for four consecutive seasons from 2006 to 2010. During that stretch, he earned four All-Star selections and led the league in scoring during the 2005-06 season.
In 2008, Anthony helped lead the United States Men’s Olympic Basketball team to a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. His performance on the international stage solidified his status as one of the game’s top players.
The Fall of Carmelo Anthony Career
Despite his early success, Anthony’s career began to decline in the early 2010s. His scoring numbers began to dip, and he struggled to lead the Nuggets to deep playoff runs. In 2011, Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks, where he hoped to revive his career and bring a championship to the city that had longed for one for over 40 years. However, things did not go as planned in New York.
During his first two seasons with the Knicks, Anthony played at an incredibly high level, averaging over 26 points per game and earning All-Star selections both years. However, the team failed to make it past the second round of the playoffs. In the 2013-14 season, Anthony suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to miss several games. Despite his injury, Anthony continued to play through the pain and finished the season averaging 27.4 points per game, second only to Kevin Durant. However, the Knicks missed the playoffs, and Anthony’s injury forced him to miss the final two games of the season.
The following year, Anthony was limited to just 40 games due to a knee injury, and the Knicks finished with the worst record in the league. The team’s struggles continued in the 2015-16 season, and Anthony began to draw criticism for his inability to lead the Knicks to success. His scoring numbers remained strong, but his overall impact on the game began to wane.
In 2017, Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a move that was supposed to give him a chance to compete for a championship alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George. However, Anthony struggled to find his place in the Thunder’s system, and his numbers dipped to their lowest levels in over a decade. After just one season in Oklahoma City, Anthony was traded to the Atlanta Hawks and subsequently waived, ending his brief stint with the team.
Anthony signed with the Houston Rockets in the summer of 2018, hoping to revive his career alongside James Harden and Chris Paul. However, he struggled to find his role on the team and was eventually traded to the Chicago Bulls in a salary dump move. The Bulls waived Anthony just a few weeks later, and he was left without a team.
Read More: NBA Free Agency Explained
Carmelo Anthony last 3 seasons Stats
Houston Rockets (2018-2019):
Anthony started the 2018-2019 season with the Houston Rockets, but his tenure with the team was short-lived. He played in just 10 games before the Rockets announced that they would be parting ways with him due to a poor fit with the team’s style of play.
Portland Trail Blazers (2019-2021):
After being waived by the Rockets, Anthony signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in November 2019. In his first season with the Blazers, he played in 58 games and averaged 15.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, helping the team secure a spot in the playoffs. He re-signed with the Blazers in the 2020 offseason. He played in 69 games during the 2020-2021 season, averaging 13.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Anthony’s time with the Blazers was generally considered a success, as he provided veteran leadership and scoring punch off the bench.
Los Angeles Lakers (2021-2022):
In August 2021, Anthony signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. He played in 69 games during the 2021-2022 season, starting in 12 of them. He averaged 11.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, but the Lakers failed to make the playoffs. Anthony’s time with the Lakers was also seen as a positive, as he provided valuable scoring off the bench and proved that he could still contribute at a high level in his mid-30s.
Overall, Carmelo Anthony’s career from 2019-2022 was marked by his ability to adapt and contribute to different teams. Despite his age and declining athleticism. He proved that he could still be a valuable scorer and leader on the court, even as he entered the later stages of his career.
