He was one of the first additions to the new-look Los Angeles Lakers and he quickly paid that confidence back. Carmelo Anthony showed he still has a lot left in his tank as he dropped a game-high 28 points to lift his side to its first win of the 2021-22 NBA season.
It wasn't just another day in the office for Melo as he surpassed Moses Malone in ninth place of the league's all-time scoring list with 27,422 points, 13 more than Malone. It's not been an easy road for the forward, who revitalized his career with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019.
At 37 years of age, he's part of the revamped Lakers that will try to get back to the top of the league after a poor 2020-21 campaign. And these kinds of performances show what Melo could bring to the team, where his colleagues show great respect for him.
LeBron, AD full of praise for Carmelo after his 28 points in Lakers' first win
The Lakers set up a star-studded roster in the offseason. But the fact that many of the new arrivals were veteran players drew some skepticism in the league. Well, if you were doubting Carmelo, his 28-point night against the Grizzlies may change your mind.
At least, LeBron James and Anthony Davis firmly believe this is what Melo is capable of game in and game out. And they remember how Anthony has been out of the league for more than a year after being waved by the Houston Rockets in November 2018.
That's what AD wanted everyone to remember. "A couple of years ago, nobody wanted him," he said, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "He was counted out. Doubted. And he stayed the course. Stayed a professional and got a shot in Portland. Made a name for himself again. And he's here now and doing the same thing, picking up where he left off. It's an honor to have him on our team, an honor to play beside him."
"He's been doing it for quite a while, and it's just beautiful to continue to see, especially when, you know, they gave up on him," his close friend and Lakers star LeBron James said.
These are the kinds of performances the Lakers were expecting from Melo when they went after him in the offseason. He might be 37 years old, but his talent is undeniable, and he already proved to be useful coming off the bench in Portland.
