Carmelo Anthony walked into a mixed reception of boos and cheers in his first game back at Madison Square Garden since the Knicks traded him to the Thunder over the summer. And after Oklahoma City fell flat in the second game of a back-to-back, losing 111-96 to New York, Melo said he only wants to be remembered as someone who had hopes and dreams of winning a championship.
Carmelo Anthony details how he wants to be remembered as a Knick
Melo said he was someone who “remained positive,” “stayed professional” and fell short of championship aspirations.
“I wanted to be here. Came here. Did what he had to do night-in and night-out, whether people liked it or not,” he said. “Remained positive through all the negative situations, all the negative times. Stuck with it through good times, through bad times. Never wavered. Somebody who stayed professional throughout my seven years here.
“And somebody who had hopes and dreams of winning a championship here in New York and fell short of that. So that’s something that I will always hold over my head as far as it comes to that. But I’ll always be kinda part of this culture here. And for me it’s different than any other basketball player that comes through here that plays with the Knicks because it’s deeper than basketball when it comes to me and this city.”
If you’re a Knicks fan or have followed the team since Melo forced a trade to New York back in 2011, you know he hit the nail right on the head. While Phil Jackson publicly dragged him, while the Knicks put together a roster that went 17-65, Melo stayed professional and positive. He wanted to win a championship. He just never did. Most basketball players don’t.
So maybe Melo did deserve the mixed reception he got when he was introduced as a Thunder player on Saturday night. But if that’s the legacy he wants to leave, it’s fair to say that’s how fans should remember him.
See More:
