As the Knicks slowly try to navigate the malaise that is being a lottery bound team, Carmelo Anthony has become a scapegoat for the lack of success in Gotham. Media members and fans alike seem to have forgotten that Melo is the paragon of consistency, and is slowly but surely becoming the NBA’s most underrated superstar.
For the duration of his career, Melo has been forced into the shadow of Lebron. Anthony and James were two of the top 3 picks in the infamous 2003 Draft, and from that point on, Melo never could seem to shake the Lebron comparison, but it wasn’t for his play on the court.
| PTS | FG% | 3pt% | TS% | REB | AST | TOV | |
| Player #1 | 20.9 | 41.7 | 29.0 | 48.8 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 3.5 |
| Player #2 | 21.0 | 42.6 | 32.0 | 50.9 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 3.0 |
Based on the above chart, who’s rookie season do you take? Player 2 is Melo, who from day one, showed prodigious scoring ability and efficiency for a rookie. To be fair, these stats don’t take defense into account so it is evident why people take Lebron, but had Melo been in any other draft, we’d have awed over him as a man amongst boys.
When critics lambast Melo (as they are wont to do), they often spew classic basketball cliches, citing his inability to ‘win’ and questioning if he wants it enough. Its an oft-forgotten fact, that before Melo began plying his trade in the Mile High City, he was the resident scorer in upstate New York, leading Syracuse to a national championship as a freshman, averaging an obese double-double (22 &10). Since that win, and after being drafted, he has missed the playoffs a grand total of twice (the last two years). Though Melo hasn’t led a team to a championship, he led the #2 seeded Denver Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals in 08-09 averaging 25, 6, and 4 shooting .453/.364/.826.
During his Knicks tenure, Melo has been one of the premier bucket-getters in the NBA. Over the course of three healthy seasons with the Knickerbockers, he’s created a basket without an assist on 61.4% of his shots. In the 2013-14 season alone, Rudy Gay was the only small forward who produced more unassisted buckets than Melo. There is a shortlist of players in the NBA who you can consistently ask to go down and get some points on the board and Melo has to be towards the top.
For a career filled with getting the short end of the stick, Melo is remarkably accomplished, possessing two Olympic Gold Medals, 6 All-NBA selections, and being selected for the All-Star team 8 times.
Carmelo has already built an immensely strong case to enter Naismith one day. If Phil Jackson continues to fortify the Knicks, and player development proceeds as expected, it may not be too late for Anthony to contend for a championship late in his career. Maybe then, people will remember how much of a luxury it's been to be able to watch Melo play. Whether he’s battering you in the post or jab-stepping you to death, his sneaky-effective game has a beautiful aesthetic, and we should enjoy it while it lasts.
