Carmelo Anthony is one of the best scorers of the modern era. Despite its reputation, he wanted to expand his game as he matured. He improved as a playmaker and helped him during a stint with the New York Knicks.
During the Denver Nuggets year, Carmelo Anthony was a pure scorer. The former Syracuse Orange quickly became one of the best offensive players in the league. He wasn’t a balanced player, but he remained a major threat.
As he matured with the New York Knicks, Anthony became a more balanced player. He was a good defender, but he also grew up as a playmaker. From the 2003 draft class, LeBron James has always been a playmaker and leader. People like Tracy McKyo felt Anthony deserved more of a rookie than James, but people had different opinions.
As the years went by, James became the uncontroversial best player in the 2003 class. That’s largely because James exhibited a well-balanced game compared to the Nuggets star. Anthony tweaked his playing style to improve in New York.
During his nugget stint, Anthony played with multiple high-level point guards. That included his time with playmakers such as Chauncey Billups and Andre Miller. He even played with known scorer Allen Iverson, but he was also a good playmaker.
Anthony learned a lot from those playmakers, but he prepared more as a scorer. He even had a lesson from Michael Jordan that helped him improve. But he also realized that being a playmaker is important.
When he joined the Knicks he became a solid playmaker. During his seven seasons with the Knicks, he averaged 3.2 assists per game. They were the best playmaking numbers he had in his career. He may not have looked like James, but he was still a solid playmaker.
“It’s a different look for me. It was an adjustment for me over all the years I’ve been in the NBA. I’ve never played that style of basketball,” Anthony said in an episode of the 2012 Dampatrick Show.
“To go from the guy who creates for himself. I hope he will wait there and hope that the ball will come to me. I had to take a spot on the court, knowing where my shots would come from.”
Like many other players, Anthony got older and worked on his game. His main focus was still scoring points, but he learned how to play a new role. He became more of a role player after a stint with the Knicks. It wasn’t an easy time as he struggled to accept his role.
Thankfully, he expanded his career by playing as a role player for the Portland Trail Blazers. He learned that he doesn’t have to be a scorer to play winning basketball. Unfortunately, Anthony retired without a championship.
Despite the lack of titles, Anthony still has a rich heritage. He was one of the best scorers of the modern era, and he has always been a dangerous offensive player. Because Anthony is a legend, and modern stars like Giannis Antetocommapo saw him as inspiration.