'Enough Is Enough': Carmelo Anthony Jokingly Tells ‘Brother’ LeBron James to Hang It Up

The NBA has gotten quicker in the past two decades. The game is played at a faster pace than it once was, with a much heavier emphasis on the 3-point shot. Offenses and defenses are more sophisticated than ever as advances in analytics have phased out the old guard and ushered in a new era. Nearly everything about the NBA has changed, but there’s been one constant — LeBron James.

Drafted straight out of high school in 2003, LeBron was selected No. 1 overall by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers. When the new NBA season tips off next month, he’ll set a record by playing his 23rd season. It’s a level of longevity the likes of which we just don’t see in sports.

Not only has LeBron been able to stay on the court, he’s remained one of the best players in the league long after most players who started alongside him faded from view. That famous 2003 draft class lived up to its hype, as Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony also went on to have legendary careers.

However, Wade retired in 2019, and Carmelo hung up his sneakers three years ago, making it even more incredible that LeBron is still performing at such a high level. Melo appeared recently on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and after being shown a photo of him facing off with LeBron in high school, he was asked to reflect on his relationship with his former draftmate.

“That’s my brother,” Melo said. “We talk about being around, being together, being tied, being connected, being talked about, since we were 17, 18 years old. For me to be entering the Hall of Fame and for him to hopefully get his a** up out of there and come on over this side…

“Enough is enough,” Melo laughed as he thought about how preposterous it is that LeBron is still going while he’s getting ready to be enshrined in Springfield just two days from now.

Carmelo is currently 12th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 28,289 career points. LeBron has amassed nearly 50% more than him, as he’s number one with 42,184. He passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the title in 2023. The King has managed to put up over 25 points per game in the two seasons since.

It’s going to be a star-studded affair when the Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place on Saturday. Carmelo is perhaps the headliner, but he’s being joined by greats from the men’s and women’s game, including Dwight Howard, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, and Sylvia Fowles.

The 2008 U.S. Men’s Olympic team, which had LeBron, Melo, and Wade, is also being honored. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be televised on NBA TV, beginning with a red carpet show at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday. The ceremony will begin at 7.