Feb 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Team LeBron forward LeBron James celebrates after making the game winning shot with Carmelo Anthony during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images David Richard-Imagn Images

NBA Legend Takes Playful Jab at Lakers' LeBron James

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 12:42 PM ET

Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James entered the NBA at the same time.

In 2003, James was the first player off the board at the NBA Draft, getting taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Anthony was selected two picks later, landing with the Denver Nuggets at No. 3 overall.

For a while, they were on the same career timeline. Lately, that hasn’t been the case.

This weekend, Anthony will enter the Basketball Hall of Fame. LeBron, on the other hand, is gearing up for another run with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Earlier this week, Anthony reacted to the fact that James is still active at this stage.

“He’s still going. It’s unbelievable, man,” Anthony said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

While Anthony is happy to see LeBron’s success, the former forward joked that it’s time for James to hang up his jersey and go to the other side of basketball stardom.

“That’s my brother,” Anthony said.

“I mean, 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, you know, hopefully get his [expletive] up out of there and come on over to this side, enough is enough. Give it a break!”

Anthony last played in the NBA during the 2021-2022 season. At the time, he teamed up with LeBron James on the Lakers for the first and only time during their careers. Anthony appeared in 69 games, averaging 26 minutes of playing time. He produced 13.3 points per game, shooting 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from three.

The ex-NBA forward wrapped up his career with over 1,200 games played. He was a 10-time All-Star, a six-time All-NBA winner, and led the league in scoring in 2013. Anthony had stints with the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Lakers.

As for LeBron, it’s unclear what the future holds for him. At this point, he’s still playing at a high enough level to compete with the best of them. At 40, LeBron played in 70 games, averaging nearly 35 minutes per game.

The veteran star was an All-Star and All-NBA recipient. He was sixth in the NBA MVP race.

In Melo’s eyes, it might be time. The way LeBron seems to see it is, why not keep going? After posting averages of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists last year, the star forward is still adding to his legacy. He’s sure to join Carmelo Anthony in the Hoops Hall one day, but Anthony will be the first to enter.