Carmelo Anthony: The Little Brat Of Basketball

[GloveGuy]

Anthony Speaks Out

Nuggets star forward Carmelo Anthony is used to being the go-to guy, but his demotion to the bench for the bronze medal-winning USA Basketball team left him feeling empty and alone, he said Thursday.

Instead of celebrating his first Olympics, he spent many nights in Athens by himself in his room, depressed, eager to get back home.

"I would play my (video) games, and hope and pray that it would be over with," he said.

"I got unfinished business to take care of," Anthony said. "I was a part of it. But I don't think I was a part of it like I should have or could have been."

Getting benched, he said, was a shock to his system because he never had been in that situation, having been a high school All-American, an NCAA champion at Syracuse as a freshman and a rookie standout with the Nuggets.

"That would affect anybody," Anthony said. "I'm not saying I'm the greatest player in the world, but I've never sat on nobody's bench."

On Brown's coaching:

"He is a hell of a coach," Anthony said. "But at the same time, he ain't Jesus, either. He still makes mistakes. He ain't perfect. ... There are just some things you can't approach the same. We weren't the Detroit Pistons. We didn't have 90 games to play together. We had two weeks."

When it started going downhill:

"It all comes down to the first (Olympic) game (against Puerto Rico)," Anthony said. "We lost (92-73) and I (showed poor body language) on the bench. After that game, people were looking at me like I was selfish and I was only thinking about myself."

Getting bronze:

"I was happy a little bit, a tiny bit, I'm not going to lie, that we got the bronze. But, the other 95 percent of you? I didn't want to look up. I didn't want anyone to see me look mad about it. But I couldn't look up. I was embarrassed to get that. (But), I'm going to cherish it."

Am I the only one who just wants him to shut the fuck up? He's acting like a little baby. When he played, he thought he was the number one guy. He put up awful shots, and mediocre defense. He was worse than a non-factor; he was a liability. He should just let it go and come back this season stronger. I hope he doesn't get in a hissy fit now that he has to share the ball with Kenyon Martin.

[Alcoholic]

I think he just has to get used to it. NBA is a business, if Denver trades him 10 years down the road, and he has to play 6th man, he's gonna have to get used to it.

"I would play my (video) games, and hope and pray that it would be over with,"

I find that very funny. He just wants to go home and free his mind with video games. Reminds me of me. He should watch those tapes and see himself play. They can't keep giving him chances to show his stuff, because if he doesn't show it, they lose.

BTW what game was it where he took his shirt off after the game? Was that Puerto Rico?

[Riot]

BTW what game was it where he took his shirt off after the game? Was that Puerto Rico?

I bet you liked that didn't you?

[Sauru]

yeah there is no need for him crying like this. he cryed his way onto the team and now he is gonna cry that they didnt use him all the time. i guess he is glad detroit didnt draft him afterall huh? lol

[Matthew]

Why do people hate it when players speak their minds? Jesus christ.. they have minds of their own, they arent robots. I like the fact that if melo doesn't like something, he will say so. Kudos to him

[Alcoholic]

It's not that we don't want them to speak their mind, it's just when they speak it, it's stuff we are sick of hearing. It's like asking Kobe how he feels now in the Lakers and he says "I want out"... then you would be thinking here we go again.

[Fresh8]

Does Kobe need to be mentioned???

Anyway- go Melo for complaining... problem is he complains too much. Can't he see that the reason why he isn't playing is that he's not as good as he thinks he is! Someone tell him this is real life, not NBA Live!!!

[FanOfAll]

I didn't like 'Melo's act or play throughout the Olympics at all, but I actually like some of what he said here. He was honest and a lot more humble.

[Matt]

there is nothing wrong with complaining.....except when it's unrequired. Like in this case he complains about being benched....this would have been fine had he not sucked so much ass

It's time he shut up and let his game talk.

[j.23]

melo doesn't suck, he just wasn't accustomed to not being the go-to guy.. does this warrant an excuse for playing the way he did? no .. but everyone makes mistakes.. he'll learn from it and hopefully he'll be more understanding of the team game when 2008 rolls around.. it's still pretty awesome how he still wants to help the USA when a number of superstar players bailed out on their country.. at least this kid has passion.

[[Pistol]]

I just don't get it why everyone thought this season that LeBron was the bitchy one. Just because 'Melo was more of an underdog and James was overpublicized? Hell with that, Carmelo has more primadona potential than anyone in this league...

[FanOfAll]

melo doesn't suck

On Team USA he did. Let's see here...grab the ball, make a few fakes, and then take the jumpshot. Jog down the court. Let his man blow past him. Watch loose balls bounce around. Have the ball stolen for him and taken for a fast break and he jogs back. Leaving Lamar Odom to make a fantastic defensive play. His play was absolutely laughable.

[j.23]

melo doesn't suck, he just wasn't accustomed to not being the go-to guy

melo doesn't suck he's just not a very good team basketball player.. so if you say he sucks being a team player then i agree with you.. but when it comes down to a 1 on 1 game or when he gets the opportunity to try to make his own shot he's a really good player.. this guy was drafted 3rd overall, ranked 12 in the nba in points per game, led all rookies in scoring, all nba rookie first team and led his team to the playoffs.. i don't know about you but im pretty sure this guy does not lick balls.

[Riot]

I think we was drafted in 3rd not 12th

[j.23]

my bad i knew that, i really did

[Drex]

But basketball is a team sport. That's why he sucked in the international game. And against teams that play zone defenses he could have trouble.

[Carlos Boozer]

He can't play ball,
HOG

[j.23]

he just had a couple bad games in the olympics.. i didn't see anyone getting on his ass when he played awesome in the exhibition games infact there were people calling him and tim duncan the best players in team usa.

bad games happen, period.. you don't automatically conclude that lebron sucks because he puts up 10 points one night, or kobe sucking because he shot a horrendous 7-30, or kg grabbing 4 rebounds.. he just had a bad outing, i still think he's going to be a great player in the future.

[FanOfAll]

melo doesn't suck, he just wasn't accustomed to not being the go-to guy

melo doesn't suck he's just not a very good team basketball player.. so if you say he sucks being a team player then i agree with you.. but when it comes down to a 1 on 1 game or when he gets the opportunity to try to make his own shot he's a really good player.. this guy was drafted 3rd overall, ranked 12 in the nba in points per game, led all rookies in scoring, all nba rookie first team and led his team to the playoffs.. i don't know about you but im pretty sure this guy does not lick balls.

He certainly doesn't suck in the NBA. Team USA was another matter. And that's what a good part of this topic is about.

The difference between 'Melo sucking on Team USA and KG having an off night is huge. 'Melo wasn't hustling. He wasn't playing defense at all. He was hardly playing the team offense either. He was just taking and hitting some shots. Do I think he would've helped Team USA more than RJ could have? Yeah, a little. Make the games higher scoring and a little closer. But was he terrible? Yes.

[GordonBulls]

i would have been pissed to if i would have won the fuckin bronze medal, i dont care what any1 says, if ur the USA basketball team, and u will the bronze, u should take that as a insult to ur game, i dont care who they had on their team, if u got AI and TD on ur team, there is no way in hell u should lose to some damn mexicans, and argentinas,(im sorry if any1 took that as racist)

[Fresh8]

And against teams that play zone defenses he could have trouble.

If Melo sucks because of that... doesnt T-mac suck too???

[fgrep15]

I just don't get it why everyone thought this season that LeBron was the bitchy one. Just because 'Melo was more of an underdog and James was overpublicized? Hell with that, Carmelo has more primadona potential than anyone in this league...

Haha, where did you get that from, the media themselves had already started giving LJ the good image and Melo the bad one, I don't know what news you were paying attention too


Melo is a complainer, he's a little naive, but he's actually one player who tells you the truth unlike most guys who will get you going in circles about what they're trying to say.

He complains too much, but Larry Brown shouldn't have singled him out and ripped on him to the media, that was the big problem.

On average, Carmelo got the least minutes in the team, 6. something minutes per game, he played in 4 games in comparison to Okafor's 2 games, and Okafor played 6. something minutes too, but a little more than Melo in the decimals.

His defense is garbage right now, let's settle that, and he didn't play good, but Larry shouldn't have ripped on him like that, no player is going to agree, and say "yes I agree I don't buy into the team concept etc". Especially since Larry and him spoke, and he said they were on the same page, then to turn around and do that is kinda harsh.

But basketball is a team sport. That's why he sucked in the international game. And against teams that play zone defenses he could have trouble.

No he won't, Melo was the first option in College on a team that played against many zones, and though not the best shooter, he's not shoot deficient.

[Drex]

No he won't, Melo was the first option in College on a team that played against many zones, and though not the best shooter, he's not shoot deficient.

You're right. I don't know why I still was thinking about him being in a team with lots of stars, not like Denver, where he's the first option on offense. Stupid me, this is the NBA, not the Olympics .

If Melo sucks because of that... doesnt T-mac suck too???

I haven't seen T-mac play in an international game. Also, he probably wouldn't be benched like Melo was. That played, IMO, a big role in Melo's poor shot selection.
Anyway, maybe he sucks, maybe he doesn't.

[Sauru]

its true that melo is speaking his mind and that is a good thing but, he needs a bigger voice before doing it. you cant come out after 1 year and start running your mouth like you own the joint. first you establish yourself as one of the best players in the game then you can say what you want when you want and no one will give you shit about it.

a good example is bird, i remember(forget year) in the playoffs the celts lost and he totally ripped his teammates, saying they lacked heart. now if this happened and any regular or even all star player said what he did his teammates would have been pissed and it would have caused problems, but since bird was clearly one of the 2 best players in the league, they shut up and listened. once melo earns his voice he can say whatever he wants and everyone will listen.

[Andrew]

My thoughts are basically the same as Sauru's. Players speaking their minds is all very well and good but that doesn't mean what's coming out of their mouths is always justified or admirable sentiment. Perhaps it was taken out of context, but when he complained about being snubbed by the selection committee earlier in the year his words did seem a little too egotistical.

a good example is bird, i remember(forget year) in the playoffs the celts lost and he totally ripped his teammates, saying they lacked heart. now if this happened and any regular or even all star player said what he did his teammates would have been pissed and it would have caused problems, but since bird was clearly one of the 2 best players in the league, they shut up and listened.

Out of interest, do you mean the 1984 NBA Finals when he described the Celtics as having "played like a bunch of women"? That certainly was an effective motivational technique that only the best players and respected team leaders could get away with.