Carmelo Anthony Explains Bizarre Reason Why He Decided to Retire

The 10-time All-Star enjoyed a prolific 19-year NBA career.

Nov 23, 2021; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts after missing a three point shot against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Former 10-time NBA All-Star combo forward Carmelo Anthony revealed that he discovered it was time to call it a career after a close encounter with a younger version of himself, 6-foot-10 Denver Nuggets starting small forward Michael Porter Jr.

As the Syracuse product detailed on his podcast "7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony & Kid Mero," Anthony was matched up against Porter when he discovered that the younger player was surprised he could still score at will.

These new NBA youngins talk crazy to the OGs 😂

MPJ to Melo: “Damn unc, I ain’t know you still had that.”

Jabari Smith to Rudy Gay: “I thought you would come at me. I used to watch you growing up.” pic.twitter.com/HGcr00VRwV

— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) November 13, 2024

“We’re playing Denver," Anthony said. "This is the first time I played Denver in a long time. Go back. Michael Porter is guarding me. I catch him on, like, the right elbow and just, like, catch it, post, quick jab, go left, and lay it up. He’s like, ‘Damn, Unc, I didn’t know you still had that.’”

The 6-foot-7 swingman enjoyed a prolific 19-year NBA career. After winning an NCAA championship during his one-and-done run with Syracuse in 2002-03, Anthony was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in a legendary 2003 NBA Draft, behind No. 1 pick LeBron James and ahead of their fellow Hall of Famers Chris Bosh (the No. 4 pick out of Georgia Tech) and Dwyane Wade (the No. 5 pick out of Marquette). Beyond those four superstars, that loaded draft also included eventual All-Stars Chris Kaman, David West, Josh Howard, Mo Williams, and Kyle Korver.

A six-time All-NBA honoree, Anthony spent his best years with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, leading both those clubs to solid playoff runs. Anthony also suited up for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Portland Trail Blazers, and finally wrapped things up with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22. Across 1,260 career regular season games (1,120 starts), Anthony averaged 22.5 points on .447/.355/.814 shooting splits, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks a night.

On the same episode, another retired, longtime sharpshooting NBA combo forward, Rudy Gay, also revealed the moment he felt it was time for him to hang up his sneakers. When he was suiting up against young Houston Rockets power forward Jabari Smith Jr., Gay was leveled by a rude reality check.

“I thought you would come at me," Smith told Gay, according to Gay. "I used to watch you growing up.”

A 6-foot-8 University of Connecticut product, Gay was selected with the No. 8 overall pick int he 2006 NBA Draft. Across a 17-year NBA career with the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz, Gay posted career averages of 15.8 points on .452/.346/.797 shooting splits, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

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