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Retired NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony has accomplished quite a lot on the basketball court.
However, as one of the marquee players who ended their career without having won an NBA championship, there are plenty of detractors that will dismiss his greatness because of that.
Anthony, a realist, knows that. Nonetheless, he insists that he isn't bothered by that criticism anymore, per Chris Herring of Sports Illustrated.
“I’m at peace,” Carmelo says.
“That doesn’t bother me no more; that idea that you’re a loser if you don’t win a championship,” he continues. “For me, I’ve won. I won back in 2003, the night I shook David Stern’s hand on that [draft] stage. I made it out of Red Hook. I’ve won at life. The ring is the only thing I didn’t get. It would’ve been a great accomplishment, but I don’t regret it, because I feel like I did everything I could to get it.”
Anthony is one of the most storied and decorated players in NBA history and like many players, his humble beginnings give him a perspective that extends far past the hardwood.
As Carmelo alluded to, he was able to make it out of the Red Hook housing projects in Brooklyn, NY, an accomplishment in and of itself. His father, Carmelo Iriarte, passed away when he was only two years old. After moving, Carmelo focused on sports in order to stay away from the danger of the street life in west Baltimore.
He went on to win an NCAA championship, be a top-3 pick in the NBA Draft, become a superstar, and earn over $260 million over the course of his career. He really did win at life — championship ring or not.
