“Felt like I was on the team”: Carmelo Anthony suggests he coached up Team USA amid 17-pt comeback against Serbia
Carmelo Anthony was one of the prominent names at the Paris Olympics, showing his support for the Team USA Men's Basketball. Melo went viral during the USA's semifinal contest against Serbia. With the team down 17 points at one stage and struggling to get back into the contest, the former NBA star was as animated as ever on the sidelines.
Anthony revisited that experience in Thursday's episode of his podcast "7 PM in Brooklyn," saying he felt a part of the team. He also hinted at coaching the players down the stretch, with Serbia still in the lead. Melo explained his advice to the players from the sidelines.
"Bron, we gotta dig deep, we gotta go, I need you to tap into that," he said. "End of the game, Joel [Embiid] man, slip out, set the screen, get Steph open. Yo Joel flare, go set it for KD now. Now KD we got what we want.
"I also knew what we was trying to do, I seen it ahead of time. I look at the five (lineup), look at the time. Okay, no, KD, go get the ball, Joel go set the screen, flare for Steph, they go set the screen, slip out, they gon' switch, this is what we want."
Anthony clarified he wasn't taking credit for how things played out but was only trying to contribute whatever he could from the sidelines.
"I felt like I was on the team again," Anthony said.
Carmelo Anthony is one of the Team USA legends, winning three gold medals (2008, 2012, 2016) and a bronze in 2004. He was the leading scorer in USA basketball history until Kevin Durant surpassed him after the quarterfinal win over Brazil on Aug. 6.
If there's anyone who understood the FIBA game at a high level among American athletes, he was one of the few players well-versed in it.
Carmelo Anthony clarifies Bogdan Bogdanovic's intentions with 3 to the Dome celebration
One of the main reasons Carmelo Anthony's presence at the USA-Serbia game went viral was Bogdan Bogdanovic hitting the three-to-the-dome celebration. Melo popularized that during his career. Many thought that Bogdanovic disrespected the NBA legend after imitating his celebration.
However, Anthony cleared the air on that, saying it wasn't the case during Thursday's episode of "7 PM in Brooklyn."
"I'm not even saying nothing to Bogi (Bogdanovanic)," Anthony said. "As he's playing, he made a shot, I'm like, 'Oh I like that Bogi, I see you,' I'm talking that s**t to him.
"So I appreciate everybody takin' my side but the real s**t was he was showing love. I really wanted to cheer. He knocked that 3 down like that, I'm like I can't show no emotion. Just accept what comes with it."
The atmosphere was intense, and Melo's involvement on the sidelines led many to believe that Bogdanovic taunted the Team USA and NBA legend after a lead-extending 3. That may have also fueled the USA to storm back into the contest in the clutch and seal their gold medal game berth.