For many knowledgeable fans of the game, “Melo” is closely associated with former NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony. But according to Knicks legend, young player LaMelo Ball is more than worthy of inheriting this name.
“You don’t have to worry about that name,” Anthony told Ball. I support you.”
After 19 years in the NBA, Carmelo Anthony has managed to establish himself as one of the best scorers in the game. For the Knicks, he averaged 24.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game on 45% shooting. Although he never managed to bring a championship to New York, Carmelo was their lone star for many years and provided endless entertainment to the fans at Madison Square Garden.
In the 2000s and 2010s, Anthony was universally recognized as “Melo” and embraced his role with the Knicks as the face of New York basketball. But after being traded to the Thunder in the summer of 2017, Anthony’s career took a nosedive and he mostly disappeared from the public eye.
Recently, although the nickname “Melo” has made a comeback, it is now under new ownership. Since being drafted in 2020, LaMelo Ball has adopted the name “Melo” as part of his branding, and most fans expected Anthony to view it as disrespectful. Instead, the Knicks star showed support for the young guard and gave him the green light to take the name for himself.
After Shaquille O’Neal criticized Dwight Howard for using his “Superman” nickname years ago, fans are happy to see Carmelo supporting the next generation of players and it’s the kind of trait many fans want to see more of from retirees of the league. legends. Unfortunately, as much as the “Melo” tag fits the Hornets youngster, he has yet to earn that level of notoriety.