The next time Carmelo Anthony looks around at the fans applauding him in Madison Square Garden, he should see his jersey hanging in the rafters.
After it was announced that Anthony would join the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for 2025, he expressed his desire to see his jersey retired. “For me, it’s like, why wait? You know, it’s why wait? If you got to think about it, then cool, just let it be … I would like to see that jersey in both rafters, Denver and New York,” said Anthony to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.
The New York Knicks should grant Anthony’s request soon because he revived a stagnant franchise, cemented himself as a legend for New York’s sports scene, and became part of the city’s culture.
The Brooklyn native arrived home after a 2011 trade saw him leave the Denver Nuggets. The controversial trade gutted the Knicks’ roster, disassembling the 2010-11 season team that produced the franchise’s most successful season since 2000-01.
While wearing number 7 for the Knicks, Anthony showcased a different style of play than previous players. Casey Powell, founder of Knicks Fan TV, called him “a bucket man.” The Knicks made the playoffs 6 times with Anthony, and while the journey always ended short of a conference finals or championship win, it’s further than other teams were able to go.
Before Anthony’s arrival, the Knicks had a record of 327-493 from 2000-2010, tied for the fourth worst in the league with the Hawks. Every effort to improve the team yielded disappointing results until Anthony.
One of Anthony’s most impressive feats on the team was his 2014 62-point game against the Charlotte Bobcats. He still holds the record for most points scored by a single Knicks player in a game.
Chuck D, rapper and founder of Public Enemy, told The New York Times, “New York is the type of place that will melt you if you ain’t ready for it. “But Melo came in and danced with the pressure of New York.” He later added Anthony brought a New York state of mind to his game.
Even more impressive is how Anthony embedded himself into the city’s fabric off the court. Besides bringing excitement to a starving fanbase, Anthony called into the city’s radio shows and founded the Carmelo Anthony Foundation.
Most important is the representation he provided. “Even though they didn’t win much when he was here, he inspired a lot of kids, a lot of African American kids, a lot of Latino kids, and he just gave us hope,” Powell said to The New York Times. “So sometimes the conversation around Melo is how he didn’t win, and he’s a selfish player, but there’s more to him than on the court. Off the court, he delivered.”
Some believe substantial time must pass before a jersey is retired, but why? It’s not as if Anthony will lace up his sneakers and rejoin his former team. His contributions to defining an era of the sport deserve to be recognized before they become a distant memory.
The Chicago Bulls announced Derrick Rose’s jersey would be retired nearly 4 months after he announced his retirement, making him the fifth Bull to receive the honor.
Rose’s home city drafted him as the number one pick, and he received the Rookie of the Year award in 2009. He became the youngest MVP recipient at 22 years old in 2011. Anthony has his own impressive stats as the 2012-13 scoring champion, a 10-time NBA All-Star, and as part of the 2008 Olympics ‘Redeem Team’.
Anthony deserves to be present for his jersey retirement ceremony and experience the city loves celebrating him. If too much time passes, his impact on the franchise could be minimized, especially as it inches closer to delivering its first championship in over 50 years.
In 2017, Anthony waived his no-trade clause, joined Russell Westbrook and Paul George on the Oklahoma City Thunder, and published a farewell letter to the city. In the letter, Anthony wrote, “It’s hard to find someone like you, so know you will always be missed. You helped me laugh. You dried my tears. Because of you, I have no fears. You came into my life, and I was blessed. It’s time to raise my hand and say goodbye. It’s not the end because, like I’ve always said, NYC ‘til the end.”
He recalled the beginning of his career when he told himself he’d be a made man if he made his mark in New York City.
A timely jersey retirement would rightfully immortalize Anthony’s mark on the franchise.