For nearly two decades, Carmelo Anthony was one of the NBA’s most prominent stars. He made his mark with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks during the prime of his career, leaving an indelible legacy on the league. As he now stands as a finalist for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Miami Heat president Pat Riley spoke highly of Anthony’s impact on the game.
“He’s one of the great players ever. Really… He deserves it. I hope he makes it,” Riley said in an interview with The New York Post. “A tough guard. Can shoot. Good size. Athletic. And carried a franchise in Denver for a long time, went to New York.”
Riley, who is intimately familiar with Anthony’s game after facing him numerous times during his later years as Heat head coach, added: “Always a tough cover so you had to game plan for him every night. And had a great career.”
The Miami Heat president also lauded Carmelo Anthony’s versatility on the court, noting his ability to excel at almost any position. “I think from the standpoint of what they call small forwards, he wasn’t just that,” Riley explained. “He can play small forward, sure. He can play power forward. Back then, we were more positional. He could play the 2-guard. Today, he’d be playing 5. That’s just the way the game has grown.”
Miami Heat president Pat Riley at Madison Square Garden on May 02, 2023 in New York City.
Carmelo Anthony’s legacy
Selected third overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Carmelo Anthony led the Denver Nuggets for eight seasons, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals, where they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
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In 2011, Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks, where he became the team’s biggest star since Patrick Ewing‘s retirement. In his final years, the forward played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers, where he retired in 2022.
Over his 19-year NBA career, Carmelo Anthony earned 10 All-Star selections, was named the NBA scoring champion in 2013, and finished his career ranked tenth on the league’s all-time scoring list with 28,289 points—just behind Shaquille O’Neal. Additionally, he won three gold medals and a bronze medal with Team USA in the Olympic Games.
Anthony’s unfinished business
Despite his immense impact on basketball, Carmelo Anthony’s career had one glaring omission: an NBA championship. He was never able to lead his teams to that pinnacle and never reached the NBA Finals. “You have to accept it. You can’t run away from it,” Riley said, reflecting on Anthony’s lack of a title. “I think he always accepted that. It was probably frustrating for him at times because he didn’t win in some of those years.”
However, Riley acknowledged that Anthony’s inability to win a championship likely won’t hurt his Hall of Fame candidacy. “When you’re the face of the franchise, there’s great expectations. And I think that’s part of what the Hall of Fame is about. I think they take that into account. Doesn’t make any difference,” Riley explained. “John Stockton, Karl Malone, Carmelo, Charles Barkley. They had the pressure on them all the time. And they’re all Hall of Famers. Did they win the chip? No. But it didn’t make any difference. They’re being recognized for what they did in their careers.”
