Carmelo Anthony retires from NBA after 19 seasons
FILE – Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks celebrates his three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on February 12, 2017 in New York City. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP
One week shy of his 39th birthday, Carmelo Anthony retired from the NBA on Monday.
A co-headliner in the 2003 draft with LeBron James, Anthony is ninth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and was a six-time All-NBA selection.
Anthony made the announcement via Twitter, saying, “The time has come for me to say goodbye.”
“I remember the days when I had nothing, just a ball on the court and a dream with something more,” Anthony said in the video.
“But basketball was my outlet. My purpose was strong. My communities, the cities I represented with pride and the fans that supported me along the way.
“I am forever grateful for those people and places because they made me, Carmelo Anthony.
“But now the time has come for me to say goodbye: to the court where I made my name, to the game that gave me purpose and pride.”
Thank you #STAYME7O pic.twitter.com/4au8cOd13s
— Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) May 22, 2023
He played for the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers.
A 10-time All-Star with 28,289 career points, Anthony played for six different teams and was not under contract during the just-completed season.
FILE – Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on April 05, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
He last played with the Lakers in 2021-22.
Anthony’s career appeared to be done in 2019, but one year after he last played for the Rockets, he signed to come off the bench for the Trail Blazers and averaged 15.4 points per game.
Anthony was a three-time Gold medal winner for Team USA and led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA national championship in his lone college basketball season. He was drafted third overall by the Nuggets.
