Carmelo Anthony’s Heartfelt Message To Nuggets During HOF Induction

Like all speeches, Anthony took time to reflect on his NBA journey, going from team to team. He started with the Nuggets, then subsequently played for the Knicks, Thunder, Rockets, Blazers, and then finally the Lakers before retiring.

The 10-time All-Star averaged over 22 points for his career and finished with 28,289 points. That makes him a top ten scorer of all time, until James Harden inevitably passes him, presumably this upcoming season.

He was clearly grateful to the Nuggets, sparing no introduction as he stood at the podium and thanked the team and the city of Denver.

"You gave me keys as a 19-year-old kid. You let me grow, fall, fly, and become the man standing here today. Denver was where I learned the weight of the league. Where I learned the value of sacrifice and the beauty of team. To the Mile High City, you will always be a part of my foundation," said Anthony.

Though this was a nice moment for him and should be for the city of Denver, fans seemed to be divided, with one user saying positively, "Great speech! Let's get Melo to Ball Arena this season."

Another less amicable response said, "This is one player from my favorite team I could care less that made the Hall of Fame."

What Matters for Melo In The End

Either way, the contribution Anthony made to the Denver Nuggets was important. All the big scoring nights, the entire 2008-09 season where they went to the Western Conference Finals -- they all had fans on the edge of their seats watching.

Whether you loved Melo or hated him, he always put on a show. Eventually, he departed for other teams, and the breakup was bitter, but that is the nature of professional sports. As people tend to say about their teams, and it is completely valid here, is -- once a Nugget, always a Nugget.