Did LeBron James actually save Melo's life? Carmelo Anthony opens up on truth regarding iconic incident
Over the past two decades, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have become close friends away from basketball. Their relationship reached news heights when one potentially saved the other's life.
One summer, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were snorkeling and swimming with fellow NBA stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul. Everything was going fine, until things took a scary turn. Anthony had realized he'd gotten to far from their boat, and was now battling through the current to get back.
Seeing him struggle in the water, James quickly jumped in to help get him back to safety. The future Hall of Famer recently went in-depth on what had happened that day.
"I wasn't dying," Anthony said. "People make it sound like 'Yo, Melo was on his death bed.'
"I was snorkling in the wrong direction... I would have made it back. But it would have been awhile because I was fighting the current."
Based on his comments, it doesn't seem like Anthony's life was in real danger. That said, James jumped in and made sure the incident didn't take a scary turn.
LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have a storied history
Aside from this possible life-saving story, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have a storied history together. Their battles on the court date all the way back to their high school days.
After their high school battles, James and Anthony were part of the historic 2003 draft. To this day, it is seen as one of the top classes in history.
"Melo" started his career in the Western Conference, but eventually came to the East when he joined the New York Knicks. This led to him and James facing off in the postseason when he was with the Maimi Heat.
Despite constantly battling for accolades and legacy, James and Anthony remained close off the court. Then, an opportunity finally came about for them to join forces.
Following a two-year resurgence with the Portland Trail Blazers, Anthony signed with the LA Lakers in 2022 to play alongside James. This ended being the final chapter of his Hall of Fame career as the 10-time All-Star retired.
In his lone season with the Lakers, Anthony averaged 13.3 points and 4.2 rebounds across 69 games.