The 2003 NBA Draft is one for the record books and one that is constantly referenced. LeBron James went No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers, now Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony went No. 3. Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade rounded out the top 5 to the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat, respectively.
Appearing on the All The Smoke podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Melo, who is now on the Lakers with James, was told a different outcome would happen on his draft night in 2003 compared to the actual reality.
Carmelo Anthony says the Pistons promised to draft him. 👀
(via @shobasketball)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) August 17, 2021
Stories like this come to the light frequently and it's always hard to distinguish what is real and what isn't with all the reports that are leaked in the lead-up to the NBA draft. What's most fascinating about this story from the now Lakers forward is what the Detroit Pistons ended up doing.
Looking at the top five of that 2003 draft class it's: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. All will be in the Basketball Hall of Fame someday. The missing piece from that group, Darko Milicic, who the Pistons ended up selecting at No. 2 overall instead of Melo.
Melo reflected on what could've been in the Pistons had they selected him, which he says they told him over and over and over leading up to draft night. He thought it was a foregone conclusion he would go No. 2 overall, then they took Milicic. Now, Anthony finds himself on the backend of his career still in search of his first ring. He's hoping to find it this year in LA with the Lakers and James.
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