Giannis Antetokounmpo shows his appreciation for recently-retired Carmelo Anthony

Giannis says Carmelo helped pave the way for forwards like him.

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

On Monday, one of the NBA’s all-time great scorers, Carmelo Anthony, announced that he was hanging up his sneakers for good, ending a basketball career that saw him win on nearly every level. Whether it was college basketball, where he led Syracuse to the NCAA title, or the Olympics, where he was part of three gold-medal-winning USA men’s basketball squads, Anthony was a winner.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP of the NBA and leader of the Milwaukee Bucks, was one of many players to take to social media on Monday to express his appreciation for 'Melo.

Thank you for pushing me higher and congratulations on a legendary career 💪🏾🙌🏾 #STAYME7O @carmeloanthony pic.twitter.com/vk5700C6XD

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) May 22, 2023

Pushed Giannis to new heights

As the saying goes, “Iron sharpens iron.” It appears that the matchup between Giannis and Carmelo Anthony in the Eastern Conference was one of those instances where two all-time greats pushed each other to new heights. In a post on Monday, Giannis said this about 'Melo:

“Thank you for pushing me higher and congratulations on a legendary career 💪🏾🙌🏾 #STAYME7O @carmeloanthony”

The two forwards have faced off against one another a total of 19 times, with Giannis winning 13 of those match-ups. Giannis also got the best of those encounters, averaging 21.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game.

Early test

In one of those match-ups early in the Greek Freak’s career, Carmelo tried to give the young stud a lesson. In Giannis’ rookie year, the Bucks and the Knicks faced off on December 18, 2013, at the Bradley Center. The Knicks won in double-overtime, 107-101, with Carmelo nearly getting a double-double with 29 points and nine rebounds.

Giannis, on the other hand, had 10 points, seven boards, two assists, two steals, and a block, showing glimpses of the versatility he’s known for today. After that game, Giannis expressed his respect for Carmelo.

“I don’t know, I respect him, and he’s one of the best players. But he can come out insulting, bullying my teammates and me, talk to me all the time, saying stuff, so I try to not react but, you’ve to respect him,” said Giannis. “But if he do it all night, you can’t focus on your game, so you have to respond, and tell him something to stop.”