Carmelo Anthony retires from NBA, after 19-year profession, NCAA title, 3 Olympic gold medals

Carmelo Anthony, the star ahead who led Syracuse to an NCAA championship in his lone faculty season and went on to spend 19 years within the NBA, introduced his retirement on Monday.

Anthony, who was not within the NBA this season, retires because the No. 9 scorer in league historical past.

Solely LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal scored greater than Anthony — who finishes his profession with 28,289 factors.

“Now the time has come for me to say goodbye … to the sport that gave me function and delight,” Anthony mentioned in a videotaped message saying his determination — one he referred to as “bittersweet.”

Anthony’s legacy has lengthy been safe: He ends his enjoying days after being chosen as one of many 75 best gamers in NBA historical past, a 10-time All-Star, a previous scoring champion and a six-time All-NBA choice.

And whereas he by no means bought to the NBA Finals — he solely performed within the convention finals as soon as, with Denver towards the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 — Anthony additionally knew what it was prefer to be a champion.

He was the Most Excellent Participant of the 2003 Remaining 4 when he led Syracuse to the nationwide championship, and he helped USA Basketball win Olympic gold 3 times — at Beijing in 2008, at London in 2012 and at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Anthony has performed in 31 video games in 4 appearances on the Olympics, probably the most of any U.S. males’s participant ever. Anthony’s 37 factors towards Nigeria within the 2012 video games is a USA Basketball males’s document at an Olympics, as are his 10 3-pointers from that sport and his 13-for-13 effort from the foul line towards Argentina in 2008.

“Carmelo Anthony is among the NBA’s all-time nice gamers and ambassadors,“ NBA Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned. ”We congratulate him on a exceptional 19-year profession and stay up for seeing him within the Corridor of Fame.”

Anthony will stay a part of worldwide basketball for not less than a number of extra months; Anthony is among the ambassadors to the Basketball World Cup, FIBA’s greatest occasion, which can be held this summer time within the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

“I keep in mind the times after I had nothing, only a ball on the courtroom and a dream of one thing extra,” Anthony mentioned. “However basketball was my outlet. My function was robust, my communities, the cities I represented with delight and the followers that supported me alongside the best way. I’m endlessly grateful for these folks and locations as a result of they made me Carmelo Anthony.”

Anthony was drafted No. 3 total by Denver in 2003, a part of the star-studded class that included James at No. 1, Corridor of Famer Chris Bosh at No. 4, and soon-to-be Corridor of Famer Dwyane Wade — he will get formally enshrined this summer time — at No. 5.

Anthony will be part of them on the Corridor of Fame earlier than lengthy. He averaged 22.5 factors in his 19 seasons, spending the majority of these years with Denver and the New York Knicks. Anthony has lengthy raved about his time with the Knicks, and what it was like enjoying at Madison Sq. Backyard, particularly as a child who was born in Brooklyn.

“The Backyard,” Anthony mentioned in 2014. “They name it The Mecca for a motive.”

Anthony additionally performed for Portland, Oklahoma Metropolis, Houston and ended his profession with the Lakers final season. He went unsigned this yr, and now his retirement is official.

He mentioned in his retirement tackle that he’s wanting ahead to watching the event of his son Kiyan, a extremely rated highschool taking pictures guard.

“Individuals ask what I consider my legacy is,” Anthony mentioned. “It’s not my feats on the courtroom that come to thoughts, all of the awards or reward. As a result of my story has at all times been greater than basketball. My legacy, my son … I’ll endlessly proceed via you. The time has come so that you can carry this torch.”

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