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Carmelo Anthony is the preeminent face of the New York Knicks for thus far in the 21st Century. That does not particularly mean his time in the Big Apple was actually all that successful. Anthony only made the playoffs three times throughout his career in the blue and orange, winning only one series. There is a legitimate reason to believe he can be surpassed as a Knicks player by their new All-Star; Julius Randle.
Randle has been one of the most improved players in the league this year. After Knicks fans were demanding he be traded in the offseason, he stepped up this year and became a true All-Star. Posting averages of 23.6 points per game, 6 assists, and 10.6 rebounds on 56.9% (about league average) true shooting, Randle has been one of the best power forwards in the league this season. Could he potentially keep this up and surpass Melo as the greatest Knicks player of the 21st Century? There are certainly things that could go in his favor.
Reason 1) Potential Playoff Success
The biggest drawback to Carmelo's career in New York was his lack of playoff success. His first two seasons as a Knick were disappointing in the regular and postseason. However, there were much higher expectations in his third season, where they won 54 games. However, they only won one playoff series and Melo never returned to the playoffs as a member of the Knicks.
Julius Randle and the New York Knicks are almost certain to make the playoffs this year. They are currently 30-27, the sixth seed, with a 1.5 game lead over the Miami Heat in seventh place. The Knicks have 15 games left in the season and they will look to maintain the sixth seed to remain firmly in the playoffs. This does not portend playoff victories, as they would likely be facing the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, but there is still time for Randle and the Knicks to win in future seasons.
Reason 2) Coaching and Roster Competency
Carmelo Anthony was almost never given a truly great roster and coaching combination to truly compete. How much of that is his fault and how much isn't is up for debate, but it's impossible to deny that it affects his legacy in New York. He was never able to win at the highest level because the rosters were never built to do that.
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Randle is not surrounded by the greatest roster ever or anything, but it is a roster with a theory. Tom Thibodeau is an elite defensive coach and the Knicks have capitalized on that. They have some long-term upside too, with the development of RJ Barrett and the potential of players like Immanuel Quickley and Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks are in a good spot to compete for years to come.
Reason 3) Playmaker Randle
Carmelo Anthony has never been a playmaker for others. He was an isolation scorer in the truest fashion in that he liked to score and not much else. He was a truly elite scorer but not much else. This is part of what hurt the teams around Anthony, that he could not make plays for them and run an elite offense.
Julius Randle has turned himself into a near-elite playmaker. For a 6'9 power forward, he runs the whole offense for the Knicks and has developed into more than just a scorer. The ability to work within an offense and grease the wheels for any team makes Randle inherently more versatile than Melo ever was. This ability will allow him to fit in with other stars that the Knicks could potentially add in the future.
Reason 4) Post-COVID Resurgence
Like it or not, the NBA legacies of stars are dominated by narratives. Carmelo Anthony's narratives are constant accusations of sacrificing winning for money, never playing well with other stars, and never winning at the highest level. He is a New York legend and a surefire Hall of Famer, but he does not have a difficult narrative to overcome, especially in the Big Apple.
The Julius Randle narrative could very well be the star who brought the Knicks back to the center stage. With the constant rise in vaccinations, the lowering of restrictions, and the all-around better shape of the pandemic, the NBA has already announced that they expect full stadiums next season. This is exciting news for many reasons, but most importantly for Randle, it means he'll get Madison Square Garden full for next season. If they continue this season's success next year, it will be an enticing narrative to begin Randle's legacy as a Knick. Ringing in the post-pandemic New York with a trip to the playoffs is a perfect way to endure a player to Knicks fans forever.
