Carmelo Anthony showed a lot of maturity compared to past stints which can hopefully carry over to his stint with the New York Knicks. (Photo : Getty Images for Haute Living/Bryan Steffy)
USA basketball saw a different Carmelo Anthony this year, a mature leader which Jerry Colangelo believes will benefit his home team, the New York Knicks. The all-star forward has represented the USA several times but this one should be the one that stands out.
This is the third gold medal that Anthony has won with the star-studded USA basketball quintet though he was also part of several faltering teams. He is the first US Olympic male basketball player to win three gold medals, Sports illustrated reported.
For those who are unaware, Anthony was also part of the two squads that settled for the bronze. One came during the 2004 Athens Games and the other at the 2006 FIBA world championships in Japan, USA Today reported.
The difference today is that Anthony stepped up to be the leader of the group. There were no Chris Paul or LeBron James ahead of him and the leadership and maturity he showed were obvious.
Colangelo is a testament to that, citing the big change Anthony brought to Brazil. One of those instances came when team USA barely escaped Australia in group play, 98-88. Melo’s 31 point output saved the day for the retiring head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
With the Olympics done, Anthony’s attention now shifts to his mother club – the New York Knicks. Could this be motivation for him to play harder and hopefully win an NBA title?
While Anthony is expected to try his best, a former coach believes he has no chance of winning an NBA title. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who handled Anthony back in 2003, believes that Anthony can make a team better but needs active and healthy players to achieve the feat, Syracuse Post-Standard reported.
Boeheim is fully aware of how Anthony made the Denver Nuggets a better team but lacked the talent to help him out. With the Knicks, the entry of Derrick Rose could help Joakim Noah but only if both are healthy.
Kristaps Porzingis could be a big help as well though Boeheim is aware that the kids is still a work in progress. Anthony is 32 and is expected to aim for an NBA title. All he needs is the proper supporting, the kind who can keep themselves healthy for most of an NBA season.
Check out Carmelo Anthony’s comments following USA Basketball’s gold-winning triumph at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
