MELO WAXES
Knick’s trophy for now is statue at Madame Tussauds
On day likeness unveiled at Madame Tussauds, says Knicks’ ‘time is coming’ Frank Isola,
CARMELO ANTHONY is a member of a club that he no longer wants to be a part of. Along with Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose among others, Melo is one of the NBA’s elite players who has yet to win a championship.
Just last week, LeBron James and Chris Bosh had their membership to this fraternity revoked, and Anthony expects to be leaving soon. “I believe my time is coming,’’ Anthony said. “I’m a big believer in that. Whether this year or next year, I truly believe our time is coming. We’re going to keep playing for that.”
Anthony was at Madame Tussauds museum in Times Square on Tuesday for the unveiling of his wax statue. The likeness is uncanny, and the details are precise, including tattoos, headband and, of course, the ball in his hands in a shooting pose (you didn’t think Melo would pose in a defensive stance, did you?).
The only flaw was that the figure is slightly bigger than the actual person, and that’s a good thing. Anthony, who is training Carmelo Anthony (r.) has more than a passing resemblance to his wax figure, but maybe ‘passing’ is not right word. AP for the London Olympics, has lost 12 pounds since the Knicks were eliminated in the first round in five games by the Miami Heat.
Mike Woodson was adamant that Anthony, the team’s leading scorer, improve his conditioning, and Melo has taken that edict to heart. “I’m exceeding expectations,” he said.
When Woodson, along with the Knicks coaching staff, visited Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Jeremy Lin last week in L.A., they were all impressed with the new look. “They were kind of shocked to see me down in weight,” Anthony said. “They came to my workout, saw it. They’re actually excited how much hard work I’ve put in since the season ended.’’
Woodson watched Chandler and Anthony work out, but it was also important for the Knicks to meet with Lin, the free agent point guard who is expected to re-sign with the team. “We’re
just trying to get that camaraderie right now and a family mentality, tried to create a bond, not just on the court but off the court,” Anthony said. The Knicks are in a win-now mode. They will have the ability to add a veteran free agent, either a point guard or a shooting guard. They are expected to make a run at Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Ray Allen and O.J. Mayo and would be thrilled to land any of them. But the team’s success largely depends on Anthony. He is an elite scorer, but the Knicks need him to be more of a two-way player, the way James is for Miami. Anthony called both James and Dwyane Wade immediately after they beat Oklahoma City on Thursday and is looking forward to joining forces with James in London. At Madame Tussauds, Anthony will be placed in a room with New York sports legends Derek Jeter, Joe Namath and Eli Manning. He said the honor is “at the top of my list. This is the No. 1 thing. I never imagined representing New York like this.’’
The wax figure is nice. The trophy is better. He will hear that from James.
J. R . DECL I N ES : T he Knicks say J.R. Smith has declined his option and will become a free agent. The reserve swingman, who averaged 12.5 points last season, was scheduled to make about $2.5 million next season.