NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, fresh into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, playfully suggested it might be time for his longtime friend and rival LeBron James to consider retirement. The remark on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert became a moment of levity amid Anthony’s well-deserved celebration.
A Gentle Nudge from the Hall of Fame Inductee
At the induction ceremony in Springfield, Massachusetts, Anthony reflected on his journey with gratitude and humility. Citing his 19-season career with 28,289 points and a 22.5 points-per-game average, the 10-time All-Star soaked in the honor of being “brought in by the basketball gods.”New York Post. It was during his media tour that he shared a warm but pointed appeal: “He’s still going… for him, hopefully get his a- up out of there and come on over [to] this side… Enough is enough. Give it a break.
A Bromance Forged in 2003
LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have shared intertwined careers since being drafted just two picks apart in the legendary 2003 NBA Draft, James first, Anthony at No. 3. They cut their teeth together and returned to share the court in Anthony’s final NBA season with the Lakers in 2022.
Their history includes being part of the famed “Banana Boat Crew,” a testament to their off-court camaraderie with Dwyane Wade (and Chris Paul by some interpretations), a friendship that long outlasted their on-court collaborations.Wikipedia
Melo’s Priceless Legacy vs. The Ring-Driven Narrative
Carmelo ended his career without an NBA championship or Finals appearance, yet never flinched in defining his legacy on his own terms. He dominated as a leading scorer, especially during his time with the Nuggets and Knicks. Notably, he set a Madison Square Garden record with 62 points in one game and led the 2012 13 Knicks to 54 wins and a second-round playoff appearance, marking New York’s brightest stretch in decades.
Stephen A. Smith once proposed that if Melo had joined the Miami Heat’s star-studded lineup in the late 2000s (alongside James, Wade, and Bosh), he could have won multiple championships. Anthony, in front of his induction week audience, reiterated that he rejected that path intentionally, not out of ego, but out of a devotion to propping up his own status as a franchise centerpiece. He said, “Imagine me at 23 years old… being the fourth option… I can’t be that fourth.”
The “Fourth Option” That Never Was and Why It Mattered
Anthony framed that moment on Podcast P, citing the uncertainty of role, fit, and legacy as among the reasons that led him to decline joining the would-be superteam. He stood by himself: I am the head of my squad… I can not be the fourth variant.
The decision, which might be controversial, was an uprising against the newly arisen norm of a ring-or-bust. Melo preferred to be seen and identified rather than lost in an already overloaded ensemble. Even when he never won an NBA title, he had three Olympic gold medals and maintained a glamorous international career.
Legacy by Numbers and Sentiment
- 28,289 career points currently 10th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
- Three Olympic golds (plus one bronze) make him one of Team USA’s most decorated players
- 10× NBA All-Star, 6× All-NBA, a consistent force across two decades.
- NCAA Champion (2003), where his lone Syracuse season earned him a national crown and Tournament MOP.WikipediaNew York Post
A Heartfelt Roast with Historical Echo
Anthony was teasing LeBron to come on over; it was not bitterness or shade, it was the bond of two careers, mutually respectful and sharing a history. Now a part of Hall of Fame legend, Anthony was beckoning his brother to the other side, and not rejecting him, but respecting the cyclical aspect of their friendship and competition.
This scene also points to more general discussions: Is it a championship that makes a person great, or the way one scowls and cuts through his own road so clearly and decisively? Melo does not wear a ring, but his hallmarked resume, aggressive point-making, and cultural influence do not fit the inductive ring-based story.
