Carmelo Anthony: How New York Knicks Provided 'Greatest Moment'
Carmelo Anthony's storied basketball career brought him to some of the game's greatest heights, such as a college basketball national championship at Syracuse and three gold medal runs with the United States' men's national basketball team at the Olympic Games.
Anthony, however, hinted that they all pale in comparison to game one with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
In a wide-ranging interview with Adam Caparell of GQ, Anthony addressed his past, present, and future after announcing his retirement in May. Anthony is back to being an MSG mainstay, as he's been frequently seen in the courtside seating areas taking in the Knicks' attempts to build upon their most successful season in a decade.
Nothing, in Anthony's eyes, will compare to his first time at MSG repping the home team. Anthony first took the floor for the Knicks in February 2011 after a trade with his original NBA employers, the Denver Nuggets. His entrance was regaled with a highlight montage documenting his career to date, set to the Diddy/Dirty Money/Skylar Grey single "Coming Home."
"That was like the most meaningful game," Anthony said. "Coming back to the Garden, that was full-circle. Most kids dream of playing in the Garden, but I didn’t dream of playing in the Garden. Never dreamt about it. It was just so far-fetched it was like whatever."
"That moment, walking into Madison Square Garden for the first time as a Knick, that will forever be my greatest moment. Coming out and hearing “I’m Coming Home,” that was like…we remember moments and that’s a moment we’ll always remember in Knicks history."
Anthony (7) seen with the Knicks in 2023
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Anthony posted a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double in his metropolitan debut, a 114-108 victory over Milwaukee.
The Brooklyn native's NBA travels brought him to Manhattan for seven seasons (2011-17). While postseason success evaded Anthony's Knicks he frequently treated MSG visitors to dominant performances that left his name dotted all over the franchise history books: Anthony is one of seven players to score 10,000 points in a Knicks uniform and holds the MSG record in single-game scoring (62).
No Knicks trade since the Anthony deal has carried anything near the same luster and impact, but many have implored the team to make a move for a similarly-talented superstar to truly compete in the top-heavy Eastern Conference. Last season saw the Knicks win 47 games and a playoff series for the first time in a decade and the current team appears to have found its footing this time around despite a stagnant start.
Anthony believes that, despite the success earned by the current group, the franchise will "eventually" have to make a move. While he hinted at haste, he praised the current Knicks management with forming an attractive situation for any potential incoming star.
"This is a star-driven city (so eventually they will (make a trade)," Anthony noted. "I don’t know who that star is, but I think they’ll put a team together. They have all the assets for a team."
"For me, I’d love to be able to come into a situation as a star and I feel comfortable and confident with the pieces that we have. Eventually, the Knicks are going to have to get a star. You have to look at it. I’m sure it’s part of everyday conversations."
Anthony shows no sign of stepping away from his courtside seats but the true debate centers around whether he'll visable from the nosebleeds: since Anthony stepped away from the game for good, Knicks fans have wondered if his No. 7 will be raised to the MSG rafters alongside names like Patrick Ewing, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, and the late Willis Reed.
Frazier and fellow honoree Bill Bradley endorsed Anthony's inclusion to All Knicks last summer. Anthony himself has frequently glanced skyward but knows that such a decision is out of his control.
"This is New York—to go up in the rafters of Madison Square Garden it’s like you went up in the rafters of the world," Anthony said. "When it happens or if it happens, then I’ll deal with it at that point in time. Until then, I’ll keep looking up at the rafters."
Anthony's next chance to do so lands on Sunday afternoon when the Knicks (4-4) close out a three-game homestand against the Charlotte Hornets (12 p.m. ET, MSG).
