Paul George Reveals Why Carmelo Anthony Struggled With OKC Thunder

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 11:40 AM ET

Long before finally winning their first NBA championship since moving to Oklahoma City, the Thunder had more than enough talent to put together deep postseason runs.

Ironically, that includes Paul George, the piece they had to give up to land Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and put together the core of players that finally led them to the mountaintop.

Looking back to those days, George opened up on his time at Oklahoma and why his pairing with Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony didn't pay off, especially for the latter.

Talking to Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on "All the Smoke," he revealed that Billy Donovan didn't even ask for Anthony, which is why he refused to adapt his vision to include the future Hall of Famer.

Billy Donovan Didn't Ask For Carmelo Anthony

"Melo sacrificed, Melo wasn't the issue," George said. "Billy had a plan for Russ and I, then right at the last minute, we got Carmelo. So now Billy's like, 'I don't know how to incorporate him. Y'all were my two guys, Melo's just gonna have to find his way.'"

Paul George says Billy Donovan had no plan for Carmelo Anthony in OKC:

"Melo sacrificed, Melo wasn't the issue. Billy had a plan for Russ and I, then right at the last minute, we got Carmelo. So now Billy's like, 'I don't know how to incorporate him. Y'all were my two guys,… pic.twitter.com/KDD6FKjxdn
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 19, 2025

Anthony averaged a then-career-low 16.2 points with 5.8 rebounds per game on 40.4% from the floor. He ultimately left the team in free agency after just one season to sign with the Houston Rockets.

Carmelo Anthony Didn't Want to Come Off The Bench

Anthony never shied away from talking about his discomfort in Oklahoma. He didn't want to change his game at that point in his career, and he wasn't willing to lead the second unit:

"Yeah, I'm not sacrificing no bench role," Anthony said back in 2018. "That's out of the question."

Anthony felt like he still had plenty left in the tank and would've been more efficient in his usual high-scoring role:

"I think the player that they wanted me to be and needed me to be was for the sake of this season," Anthony said. "As far as being effective as that type of player, I don't think I can be effective as that type of player. I think I was willing to accept that challenge in that role, but I think I bring a little bit more to the game as far as being more knowledgeable and what I still can do as a basketball player."

Anthony later suited up for the Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers before walking away from the game in 2022. Ironically, he had to come off the bench and change his game in the final stage of his career just to get another chance to retire on his own terms.

He may not have won a championship, but he went down as one of the greatest scorers the game had ever seen.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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