Carmelo Anthony Opened Up On His Signature Sneaker Line
After playing for six teams throughout 19 NBA seasons, there are plenty of Carmelo Anthony eras to choose from as your favorite. There was "Hoodie Melo" in Oklahoma City, "Team USA Melo" internationally, and, of course, his dominant seasons in Denver and New York.
As someone who has watched Anthony since his high school days at Oak Hill Academy, I'm partial to his time with the Nuggets. When it comes to his signature sneaker line with Jordan Brand, Anthony also points back to his earliest hoop shoe as the most iconic.
In retirement, Anthony has teamed up with The Kid Mero (another GOAT) on a podcast titled 7PM in Brooklyn. The wide-ranging podcast landed on the topic of sneakers recently, and Anthony gave fans insight into his signature line.
Anthony said, "The 1.5. That's the iconic one because the story that went behind it. It was new; it was fresh. We was bringing something different to the brand in a sense of honoring M.J., and the brand and his sneakers, and his legacy. But now we are going to infuse that with some new culture, and some new energy, and some young energy."
Anthony and Mero then made their case for the signature line to get some retro releases. Anthony encouraged fans to campaign on his behalf because he said with a laugh that he had "been telling them for years."
Jordan Brand x Melo
Anthony was not exaggerating when he said he infused Jordan Brand with young energy. In the wake of Michael Jordan's third and final retirement, Jumpman was at a crossroads.Â
In the summer of 2003, Nike signed Kobe Bryant and a slew of talented young rookies, including LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Anthony. It was later decided that James would wear Nike, Wade would represent Converse, and Anthony would carry Jordan Brand.
Last year, Boardroom ran an incredible story that dove into the story behind Anthony's relocation to Jordan Brand. Long story short, the teenager from Baltimore embraced the pressure and exceeded expectations on the court and in the sneaker industry.Â
Anthony is a basketball icon with fans all over the world. After buoying Jordan Brand during a challenging time, it is only right that his signature line enjoys retro-release treatment. Follow FanNationKicks.com for all of your most important sneaker news from the sports world.