Amid all the criticisms thrown at Carmelo Anthony, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith took time to look back and praised the 10-time All-Star's tenure with the New York Knicks.
Speaking on Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, Smith has no doubts that Anthony will be remembered for his tenure with the Knicks. As transcribed by Heavy:
“I say moreso New York,” Stephen A. Smith told Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club on Thursday.
“Denver he wanted out. He pushed himself out of that door. There’s absolutely nothing to hold against him in New York. He wanted to be here when nobody else wanted to come.”
To recall, after spending his first seven and half years as a pro with the Denver Nuggets, Anthony took his talents to the Knicks via trade in February 2011. It was considered one of the biggest trades during that time. By then, Anthony was already a proven superstar in the league.
But with the Knicks, Anthony's status rose to future Hall-of-Famer level. In his first half-season with the team, the Knicks finished sixth in the East. They qualified for the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season. Come the 2012-2013 season, the Knicks finished second in the East and made it as far as the Conference Semifinals.
However, Anthony's success with the Knicks was shortlived. Some say issues in the front office prevented the team from fully utilizing its potential and superstar in Anthony. Nevertheless, it was a great era for the mecca of basketball during its peak. And Anthony played a big part in it.
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