Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George was drafted in 2010, so he's seen quite a bit in his decorated NBA career.
Perhaps that's why when it comes to the fading stars of the 2000s, George has a different perspective than the commonly held beliefs about those players that circulate today.
Not just with former MVP Russell Westbrook, who the Clippers signed in large part because George was so adamant about his abilities. But with players like 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2021-22 season but appears to have been outpaced by time and circumstance.
“Melo was so good,” George says on Podcast P with Paul George. “He can get his shot off in a phone booth. He didn't need much space and so with him. I had to play him extra tight… He was so good at creating contact and being physical that I was just going to be in for a long game.”
“Oh, it was crazy, that's what I'm saying,” George says. “He could get his shot off like this (snaps his finger).
“And I added that to my game. That quick jab and he'll put that bounce and then step back. And you could not guard it. It was unguardable. So that's why you could never give him space because you're gonna play on your heels when you guard Melo. The fastest first step I've ever seen, for a guy that size, he had the quickest first step. So, you had to play tight defense on Melo… if you let him face you up, it's over.”
Paul George's toughest matchup?
“100% Melo.”
In his prime, Carmelo for the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks.
In 14 seasons, he averaged 24.8 points per game and 24.7 points per game with the Knicks and Nuggets, respectively.
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