Chris Brickley has made a name for himself as the show-runner of his now-famed “Blackout Sessions” — provider of some of the best offseason gym runs between some of the best talents from the NBA and overseas.
He's also Carmelo Anthony's trainer, one who has worked with him since his time with the New York Knicks and thus seen the change from being the go-to scorer that he was in The Big Apple, to a struggling transition to a tertiary offensive option with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Melo recently parted ways with OKC and was bought out by the Atlanta Hawks after a three-team trade, now bound to clear waivers and sign with the team he's been longing to join in the Houston Rockets.
“I think he’s relieved,” said Brickley, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “In the sense of he liked OKC, he loved his teammates, loved the organization. For whatever reason it didn’t work out.”
“Now he’s just looking forward to what’s next. I think the Rockets would be great. Him and Chris Paul have been friends forever… They’re very close. I think it’s going to be good. He’s very positive right now.”
Anthony will have to play a similar role than he did with the Thunder, taking a back seat to the two-headed attack of the Rockets backcourt of Chris Paul and reigning MVP James Harden — something Brickley has prepared him for this time around, after having no chance to do so in the last offseason with only weeks before the start of the regular season.
“As he’s getting older, for sure. We’ve changed up the workout pace,” said Brickley. “It’s like all conditioning. It’s almost like a track workout. It’s the most running I’ve ever done with him. We get him exhausted, making shots while he’s exhausted. We used to do strictly a lot of mid-post stuff, a lot of ball-handling, now it’s more pick-and-pop and run the lane to catch-and-shoot 3s. So we’ve definitely changed the workout. We’re just trying to get him in the best running shape of his life.”
Anthony will be used as a marksman as Paul and Harden collapse the defense and open him up for looks from beyond the arc. Melo will have to get used to a different pace with his new team, and judging by his new regimen — he should have little problems doing so.
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