Despite a brilliant offseason starring as “Hoodie Melo,” New York Knicks star forward Carmelo Anthony has not only dropped from the Top 50 in ESPN's latest NBA rankings, but is also ranked 64th, one spot behind rookie Lonzo Ball, who is yet to play an NBA game.
Rated only one spot over the Boston Celtics' Marcus Smart, who hasn't even secured a starting spot in the league, Anthony is bested by the likes of Danny Green (59), Malcolm Brogdon (56), and Robert Covington (55).
Anthony was ranked in the top 10 back in 2013 and in the top 30 only two years ago, according to ESPN's Chris Herring — making this a dive bomb of a fall from greatness in the eyes of experts.
While the losing in the Knicks organization has played a great part of the turn of his reputation, so have the lack of offers from other teams, who have failed to pry the star from the Knicks this offseason.
Ball has only a handful of NBA experience in the Summer League, which will only be a relative warmup to the sturdy competition he'll face night in and night out from those who have heard endless tales from his father dating back to last season.
The 33-year-old averaged 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in what seemed to be a declining year with plenty of controversy and passive-aggressive back-and-forth with the front office, resulting in a mere 31 wins in 2016-17.
Anthony has indeed seen a fall from glory, but judging by how borderline starters that have barely eclipsed the 10-point-per-game mark in their careers are ranked higher than a bona fide 24.8-points-per-game career scorer, this can only be described as nothing but pure basketball blasphemy.
— Sam Markel (@sam_markel) September 12, 2017
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