LeBron James WATCH: ESPYs Honor Knicks Ex Carmelo Anthony

The career and work of former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony was recognized by competitors and close friends LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade.

The sports world got a chance to say goodbye to former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony on Wednesday, as his work on and off the floor was acknowledged at the 2023 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles. 

Anthony officially retired in May, ending a 19-year NBA career that featured parts of seven seasons with the Knicks. Wednesday's gala featured a tribute to Anthony courtesy of competitors and close friends LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade.

"Every legend that's ever played the game of basketball has made, in their own way, a unique impact on the sport," James, the current Los Angeles Laker, said. "When it comes to the great Carmelo Anthony, the word that comes to mind is unstoppable. Inside, outside, pull-ups, put-backs, lay-ups, threes, dunks, if you ever saw Melo play the game of basketball, you'd always think to yourself that there (were) times where you felt like there was no one in the world that could stop him. That's a powerful force to behold."

Born in Brooklyn, Anthony's return to New York generated a significant amount of fanfare when he came back in a February 2011 trade with Denver. Though the Knicks lacked postseason panache, Anthony made his mark to the tune of a 24.7-point average in scoring. He was the NBA's scoring leader in 2013 and reached the NBA All-Star Game in each of his seasons in New York.

Anthony is considered to be a member of what fans have called the "Banana Boat Team," an unofficial moniker bestowed after James, Paul, Wade, and Wade's wife Gabrielle Union were seen riding the eponymous vessel during a vacation in the Bahamas. The former Knicks was not in the famous picture but was said to also be on the trip. He previously became former linked to James and Wade upon their professional arrivals at the 2003 NBA Draft. Anthony went to Denver with the third pick, while James (Cleveland) and Wade (Miami) were the respective first and fifth picks.

Wade shared that his friendship with Anthony began long before that trip, dating back to the 2003 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's Final Four in New Orleans. Anthony and Wade "met on Bourbon Street" while respectively repping Syracuse and Marquette. The former would go on to guide the Orange to their first national championship in the modern college basketball era.

"You became one of my favorite people," Wade said recalling that fateful meeting as Anthony grinned in the audience. "We had an instant connection. Twenty years later, that connection has never changed ... We stand here today as brothers grateful to honor you together." 

Wade closed his comments by telling Anthony to "stay connected, stay vigilant, but most importantly, stay Melo." Paul, a newly-minted Golden State Warrior, also acknowledged his friend's off-court work, noting that it was Anthony that inspired the group to speak out against racial injustice and violence during the 2016 ESPYS. 

Anthony was invited to the stage shortly after, emotional yet jovial over the show of support.

"This is unexpected but really incredible," Anthony said. "I just want to say thank you so much for believing in me and this unbelievable tribute. I'm reminded tonight (of) just how blessed I've been to follow the dream I had as a kid, like (Paul) said, in the projects of Red Hook, the hoods of Baltimore, the dream of playing in the NBA."

"Now, standing here 20 years after (it started), I feel so incredibly honored. The league and our game will always feel special to me. The people that I've met, the lessons I've learned, the brotherhood we've created, I could on and on and on. But I couldn't have done it without any of you guys, without my family, without my friends, without you, without my fans. You have stood by me and supported and inspired me to be the best version of Melo."

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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