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Stephen A. Smith believes Carmelo Anthony would be a champion if drafted by Pistons
Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Carmelo Anthony is going to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September. He was a dynamic scorer who came up big, time and time again.

The only knock against Anthony is the fact that he has never won an NBA championship. According to Stephen A. Smith, if Anthony had been drafted by the Detroit Pistons, and not the Denver Nuggets, he would be a champion.

“You know how badly I wanted to see Carmelo Anthony in the NBA Finals, man? Because I know who he is. I know that brother is not going to shrink in the spotlight. Whatever you see him do, you put that brother on center stage, in that moment, he’s going to rise up.

“It’s a damn shame. Because if Joe Dumars had drafted him instead of Darko Milicic, Carmelo Anthony would have a title, if not two. There’s no way he doesn’t have a title.”

Smith is likely correct with his statement. The year Anthony was drafted by the Nuggets, the Pistons won the NBA title. If Anthony were on that team, his stats would have been lower compared to those on the Nuggets.

But Anthony would be able to call himself an NBA champion, as well as a Hall of Famer.

This article first appeared on Ball Exclusives and was syndicated with permission.

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