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One of the purest scorers in his generation, Carmelo Anthony is one of the more polarizing figures in debates over 21st century greatness. 10th all-time in points scored, Anthony topped 20 PPG in each of the first 14 seasons of his 19-year career, seven times exceeding 25 PPG.
Despite his smooth jumpshot and natural ability, there are those who pin him as an overrated, one-dimensional player. It is true that he does not compare to the upper echelon of all-around dominance this millenium. He is no LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant. But he got the call this week that he will be a Hall of Famer; a formal announcement is coming Saturday. Three stars of the game, both past and present, shared their reactions to Anthony’s induction.
Two Legends Send Flowers Melo’s Way
In addition to sparkling stats, Anthony has a treasure trove of awards and accolades: 10 All-Star appearances, six All-NBA teams, three Olympic gold medals, and a national championship in his only college season at Syracuse. In 2013, he the lead the league in scoring at 28.7 PPG. The only items missing from his list? An NBA title and an MVP award. For some, the absence of two of the game’s most highly valued accomplishments levies a heavy hit on his legacy.
In general, however, social media users disputed the notion that giving Anthony the nod is anywhere near controversial. LeBron James, who has four rings and MVPs apiece, was quick to congratulate his former foe and teammate:
CONGRATULATIONS MY BROTHER! PEACE GOD @carmeloanthony
https://t.co/s4i1zPjiKQ
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 2, 2025
Hall of Famer Magic Johnson (3 MVPs, 5 NBA titles in his playing career) also reached out:
I want to congratulate former NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony on being elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame!
@carmeloanthony
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 3, 2025
Although Anthony may not have the resume of those two, his Hall of Fame bid seems to have their vote of approval.
Carmelo Anthony? Ex-Teammate Says “Easy Call” for Hall of Fame
In 1,260 regular season games, Anthony played for six different teams, primarily the Nuggets (2003-04 to 2010-11) and the Knicks (2010-11 to 2016-17). Toward the end of his career, he bounced between the Thunder, Rockets, Trail Blazers and, in his final season, the Lakers, where he teamed up with James.
Another teammate, Damian Lillard, who played with Anthony in Portland, said a spot for Anthony in the Hall of Fame is only right, nothing to bat an eye over. “Yeah, he’s Melo so I mean it’s an easy call,” Lillard said. “There’s no debating Hall Of Famer. I don’t see why it would be another way.”
Back in February when Hall of Fame finalists were announced, Dwight Howard (2004-05 to 2021-22), Marques Johnson (retired 1990, 11 seasons), and Buck Williams (1981-82 to 1997-98) were among the other players on the ballot.
Anthony’s inclusion in the Hall of Fame vindicates his status as an all-time great, regardless of the criticisms surrounding his game. At 28,289 career points scored, he should stay at least top 15 for quite a while. The Clippers’ James Harden (27, 486) is the only active player in realistic range of passing him next season.
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TODAY'S BEST
Knicks Next Coaching Target Revealed
The New York Knicks have gotten knocked down but they've been quick to get up again. That might as well be the unofficial theme of their ongoing formation of a new coaching staff headed by Mike Brown, which endured another twist on Saturday: per SNY's Ian Begley, the Knicks were rejected by former guard and current Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni in an attempt to land him on their own bench but have set their sights on longtime Los Angeles Clippers assistant Brendan O'Connor. "O’Connor has strong defensive acumen, has worked for LAC under Ty Lue and Doc Rivers," Begley said in a Saturday X post. "[The Knicks] will presumably continue to look for an assistant to help on offense even if they add O’Connor to help guide the defense." O'Connor has been on the Clippers bench since 2013, having previously earned a championship ring while working with Larry Brown and the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons. Brown also brought O'Connor aboard his extended Knicks staff when he briefly served as head coach during the 2005-06 season. In that span, Los Angeles has the second-most regular season wins in the NBA behind only the Golden State Warriors. This time around, O'Connor took on a larger role in the Clippers' everyday operations after both Tyron Lue and associate head and former Knicks boss Jeff Van Gundy were forced to miss time. As Begley alluded to, O'Connor has been lauded for his work on defense. Under his partial watch, Pistons big man Ben Wallace broke out as a two-way star, earning three of his four Defensive Player of the Year titles during O'Connor's Motor City tenure. The next man to join the Knicks' staff is reportedly set to join a hodgepodge of former Mike Brown collaborators such as Charles Allen and Riccardo Fois while Rick Brunson, Maurice Cheeks, and Darren Erman have reportedly been brought in from predecessor Tom Thibodeau's final staff.
Aaron Rodgers responds to criticism from Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw
The Pittsburgh Steelers' signing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers was an immediately polarizing move that did not sit well with large portions of the fan base. It also did not sit well with one of the team's all-time greatest players, four-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw initially referred to the signing of Rodgers as a "joke" and that he should "stay in California and go chew bark" in reference to Rodgers isolating himself in a darkness retreat last year. On Saturday, Rodgers finally had a chance to respond to Bradshaw and did so with a combination of taking the high road, and also trying to make light of it. “I whisper to the gods every single day. I’ve known Terry for a long time, being a part of Fox. Terry’s a legend. He’s an absolute legend. He won four Super Bowls. He’s had a legendary career in the media. But Terry, like a lot of people, doesn’t know me. And so, he’s got an idea of what he thinks about me based on what I’ve done, the documentary, what I’ve said, darkness retreat, whatever the hell you want to talk about. I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level. I feel like if he gave me a chance to get to know him, then we’d have a good friendship." He ended the answer by saying, "So, I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level if he’s open to it. And maybe we can go chew some bark or whatever the hell he’s talking about together.” The Steelers were in a pretty desperate quarterback situation this offseason after completely overhauling the position for a second year in a row. They missed out on the chance to re-sign Justin Fields, let Russell Wilson walk, missed out on every other veteran who changed teams and passed on the opportunity to select a quarterback near the top of a weak quarterback draft class. (They ultimately selected Ohio State's Will Howard in the sixth round.) The whole Rodgers saga has been quite a soap opera for the Steelers as they waited around for months while he decided on whether or not he wanted to play this season, and if he wanted to play for the Steelers. Add in the fact he has had a tendency to cause some off-field distractions with his comments and weekly "Pat McAfee Show" appearances, as well as the fact he will turn 42 years old this season and hasn't been a top-tier quarterback in three years, and a lot of Steelers fans — and former players — were put off by the idea. The only thing that will matter in the end, however, is how Rodgers plays on the field. He has said all of the right things since joining the team, and his new teammates have all spoken highly of him so far, but it will still come down to results on the field. The Steelers have not won a playoff game in eight years and are facing added pressure each year to end that drought. They are hoping Rodgers has one more good year in him to help them advance in the postseason.
Green Bay Packers 3rd Year Receiver Turning Heads At Training Camp
The Green Bay Packers have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. A big reason for this is their wide receiver room. For the past three seasons, they have relied on rookies and second-year players to carry the load on offense from a pass-catching perspective. However, that has led to some inconsistent play. Last year, drops were a huge issue, especially for former fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks. He was able to get open but would drop the ball in key moments. Wicks is determined to change the narrative and is already turning heads in training camp. Green Bay Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks Looking Good Wicks was the star of the 2-minute drill during Friday’s training camp practice. He found a hole in the zone and ran the post route. Quarterback Jordan Love saw him immediately and unloaded a long ball. The former Virginia receiver was all alone and caught a 49-yard touchdown pass to end the drill. This was one of the many great plays Wicks made throughout the practice. He was asked about the play after the practice. “I knew I had the post,” Wicks said. “I had a man on me. I released, ran full speed. I knew X was over the top. So I stemmed out a little bit and broke flat across. It was a runaway, and J-Love gave me the ball and I ran under it, and that was all from there.” This is great news for the Green Bay Packers. Drops can often be attributed to a lack of confidence. They can snowball. Once a player drops one pass, it can snowball into more drops. The same can be said about catches. Once a player gets confidence, it can be hard to stop. If Dontayvion Wicks has gotten his confidence, the league should watch out. No Problems Getting Open Wicks had no problems getting open last year. According to ESPN Analytics, he was open on 84% of his routes, thanks to a quick burst off the snap and his ability to find gaps in the zone. However, getting open doesn’t matter if a player can’t bring in the ball. The Green Bay Packers hope this is the start of a new player in 2025. Matthew Golden has also looked good in training camp, and Jayden Reed has vowed to drop fewer passes as well in 2025. If that trio can haul in passes, this offense could be one of the best in the league. Final Thoughts We always have to be cautious about training camp news. It can sometimes point to what will happen in the season, but not always. However, this seems like a step in the right direction for the Green Bay Packers. If Wicks gains confidence now, that should carry over into the season.
Richard Childress addresses idea of suspension for Austin Hill
Richard Childress is standing by his driver after a controversial move in the closing laps of Saturday's Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Austin Hill, driver of the No. 21 Chevy for Richard Childress Racing, appeared to hook Aric Almirola on Lap 91 after Almirola had gotten Hill loose in the previous corner. In recent years, NASCAR has set a precedent that right-hooking a fellow driver at speed is grounds for a suspension, though their failure to do so with Austin Cindric at COTA in March or with Austin Dillon at Richmond in August 2024 drew scrutiny. Unsurprisingly, Childress doesn't think Hill should have to sit out the Aug. 2 race at Iowa Speedway. "Hell no," Childress said when asked if he believed Hill should have to sit for a week. "They didn't do a damn thing to the 2 car (Cindric) when he wrecked Ty (Dillon, Childress' grandson) and admitted to it, drove him in the right-rear and wrecked him at COTA. It's who you are. We're a blue-collar team, they (NASCAR) give us trouble all the time." Hill was given a five-lap penalty for reckless driving and finished the race in 34th.
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