D. Lippitt/ Einstein/ NBA E
On draft night, a player’s career can be decided on nothing. And sometimes, they can regret it years later … This is particularly the case of a multiple All-Star who believes that he could have participated in a back-to-back, if a team had not missed select it above.
There is no hesitation that Carmelo Anthony will be a Hall of Famer after his career. The legendary scorer has shown his talents virtually everywhere he has played, most notably in Denver, which drafted him. In seven and a half years there, the Syracuse-trained player had established himself as one of the best in the league in his role. But his beginnings could have evolved very differently …
Indeed, during the 2003 draft, Detroit had the possibility of recovering Melo in second position, the Cavs having taken LeBron James. An obvious choice in principle, except that the Pistons will choose instead… Darko Milicic, an interior which will subsequently become legendary as an absolute bust. The Nuggets will not complain, and will not waste a second to select the winger.
18 years later, this story still seems to tap into No. 7. Guest on the podcast All The Smoke, he indeed returned in detail on his feeling as for that night, and he did not go dead hand. According to him, the Michigan franchise would not only have been champion in 2004 as it was, but it would also have retained its crown a year later!
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He believes that decision changed the course of his career. #ATS100 | @carmeloanthony pic.twitter.com/vof21kguTH
— SHOWTIME Basketball (@shobasketball) August 17, 2021
I think if I was there they would win another title. I wouldn’t say we’re going to do a hat-trick. I think we would do two back-to-back titles if I was there. … They were all veterans, I would have learned from these guys. And the second year, I would have been a totally different player coming back.
Given the talent of the man and the ability of the Detroit collective to take precedence over the rest, this advice is far from insane. But above all, it could have allowed Anthony to evolve from the start with real mentors, which he sorely missed in his early years. The person could then have become mature faster … something that has cost him a title so far.
According to Carmelo Anthony, he could have had two rings under his belt while being drafted by the Pistons. One thing is certain, this will go down as one of the biggest “what if?” Of the history of the draft!
