In a touching Instagram video, future NBA Hall of Famer and sports legend, Carmelo Anthony, announced his retirement on Monday (May 22).
He started off the video by saying, “I remember the days when I had nothing. Just a ball on a court with a dream of something more. 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 cause they made me Carmelo Anthony.”
Then he dropped the retirement announcement. “But now the time has come for me to say goodbye… With this bittersweet goodbye to the NBA, I’m excited about what the future holds for me.”
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Anthony, who has Puerto Rican heritage on his father’s side, attended Syracuse University in 2002, leading them to their first-ever NCAA Championship. He then entered the infamous 2003 NBA draft, known for having some of the best talents in the draft’s history. With LeBron James being drafted number one overall, Anthony was drafted by the Denver Nuggets as the third pick in the draft. The rest, as they say, is history.
Anthony spent most of his career between the Nuggets and the New York Knicks. He also played two seasons for the Portland Trailblazers, while playing one year a piece for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets. A prolific scorer, Anthony won the league scoring title in 2012-13. At any time, Anthony could get you a bucket, and he had some clutch shots that will live on.
Anthony retires with a considerable list of accolades. A 10-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection, he also ends his career as the ninth-highest scorer in NBA history, with 28,989 points. “Melo” was also selected as one of the 75 greatest players on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. He was also a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist.
Despite Anthony’s scoring, the clutch shots, the accolades, the eventual Hall of Fame enshrinement, and his status as an NBA legend, in his retirement video, Anthony says his greatest legacy is his son, Kiyan. A true Latino sports legend, Anthony retires as a family man, his favorite accomplishment.
“People ask what I believe my legacy is. It’s not my feats on the court that come to mind, all the awards or praise. Because my story has always been more than basketball. My legacy, my son … I will forever continue through you. The time has come for you to carry this torch.”
What a legend.