ANTHONY IS PERFECT FIT FOR USA AT OLYMPICS
The RIO DE JANEIRO Olympics shine when held in reverence. When they represent the pinnacle of a competitor’s career. They don’t do much for professional millionaires who are judged by championship trophies, the ones who come to the Games in search of branding and marketing opportunities. Carmelo Anthony is an exception. They have made him the champion he has never been in the NBA.
“He has thrived in international competition,” USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said. “He is here because he enjoys it.”
Anthony has long been one of the most polarizing players in the NBA. While the New York Knicks star has earned $ 181 million over his lengthy career, he has been criticized for being overweight, a ball hog and a one- dimensional player who has lifted his team to the conference finals once in 13 seasons.
Contrast that perception to his Olympic persona, where he has become the torchbearer of USA Basketball, maybe even the greatest male basketball player in U. S. Olympic history.
The latter might sound ludicrous, but entering the medal round of the 2016 Rio Games, Anthony is Team USA’s all- time leading scorer, having passed LeBron James and David Robinson. In the coming days, he might put that record forever out of reach. He has played for his country four times, an unheard- of feat in NBA circles.
“I’ve been part of this since 2004, and I know what it felt like when the rest of the world was supposedly catching up with the USA from a basketball standpoint,” Anthony said. “I knew what it felt like to be at the bottom, and I know what it feels like to be at the top of the game as well. To say it’s a blessing is an understatement.”
Anthony was not ready for Olympic basketball when he was a late addition to the
2004 team that flamed out in Athens, losing three times en route to a bronze. He was young and immature, having left Syracuse after winning a national championship as a freshman. He had one year of NBA experience and no idea how his demeanor confirmed the worst perceptions of American basketball. Playing on a fractured team and upset over a lack of playing time, he would often remove his jersey before leaving the court, sauntering off in a show of petulance.
“I wouldn’t say he was part of the problem,” Colangelo said. “He was part of the circumstances that led to a complete overhaul of USA Basketball. There were four players who dropped out at the last minute because of security con- cerns in Athens, and it caused four young players to be selected that hadn’t earned their spurs. ... It was not a good experience for any of them.”
Anthony, who was 20, is the only remaining link to the debacle in Greece.
Now, he is beloved by teammates. He is the team’s most consistent offensive threat. He is one of the most vocal cheerleaders when not on the court. He has been spotted signing autographs for young Brazilians who recently watched through a crack in the wall of the team’s practice facility.
In retrospect, the 2004 Games were more than a turning point for USA Basketball. In some ways, they did the same for Anthony. And in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, he can repay an old debt, eliminating the team ( Argentina) that did the same to the Americans 12 years ago.
“That experience … it is what it is,” Anthony said. “We accepted it. We know that feeling, and we don’t want to experience that feeling anymore.”
Recently, Anthony made headlines by claiming a third gold medal would validate his career, eliminating the need for an NBA championship. That might sound sacrilegious to some, but there’s a strong lesson here:
He is proving how valuable he can be when surrounded by top- tier talent, something he has never enjoyed in the NBA.
“It’s nice to believe a player can lead his team to a championship all by himself,” Colangelo said. “But the reality is, in the past, if you didn’t have a center, you probably weren’t going to win a title. And as the game has changed, it takes a couple of superstars on the same team to do it. And even then your timing might be really bad.
“Look at ( John) Stockton and ( Karl) Malone. Look at Phoenix, where we could’ve won two to three championships and didn’t. Carmelo has not been on good NBA teams. He hasn’t been with good enough players to be in a position to win. That’s why this situation is so good for him. He’s thriving among other great players. He loves it. He’s been successful. And he’s won.”
In recent years, some have wondered if the NBA’s investment in the Olympics is worth the return. If patriotism, pride and bragging rights are really worth the financial costs, the risk of injury and the mileage incurred by the league’s best assets.
Anthony is resounding proof that the Olympics are worth the hassle. Especially when players start focusing on what they can do for their country and not the other way around.