Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James posted a heartfelt message to his former teammate Carmelo Anthony after the latter announced on Monday that he is retiring from basketball.

“You're such a legend and beyond my brother!!! 🫡 And congratulations on a helluva ride!! 🙏🏾✊🏾🤎👑,” LeBron James said, via Instagram Stories.

Carmelo Anthony entered the NBA in 2003, the same year as LeBron James. Selected by the Denver Nuggets third overall in that year's NBA Draft, Anthony would go on to build a legendary career in the league that saw him suit up as well for the New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles. He last played in the NBA in the 2021-22 NBA season in a Lakers uniform, running alongside LeBron James. In his only season with James and the Lakers, Anthony averaged 13.3 points on 44.1 percent shooting from the field across 69 games.

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Although Anthony was not able to achieve his goal of winning an NBA title, he still retires as one of the league's greatest players. He and LeBron James are currently inside the top 10 of the NBA's all-time scoring list. James, of course, is No. 1 all-time with 38,652 points, while Anthony is ninth with 28,289 points.

In their first season in the league, James edged Carmelo Anthony for the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year award. They were viewed as rivals early on in their NBA careers, but the two eventually developed a deep appreciation for each other and forged a friendship that will last for a lifetime.