"When I got drafted, it changed the whole thing" - Carmelo Anthony discusses his impact on the Denver Nuggets
Carmelo Anthony is considered to be one of the greatest NBA players of the 21st century. His brilliance in the junior circuits helped him catch the eye of many franchises. However, the Denver Nuggets picked him 3rd overall in the famous 2003 draft and from there on he has never looked back.
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Entering his 20th year, Carmelo Anthony is currently 10th overall on the NBA's all-time scoring list. He currently has 27,370 points to his name and is expected to significantly climb up the charts this year. However, it all started for him in Denver, where he became a star.
Carmelo Anthony was terrific for the Denver Nuggets and established himself as one of the best players there in no time. Speaking about the impact he had in Denver to GQ magazine, Carmelo Anthony said:
"With the Nuggets, that whole time was memorable for me. The Nuggets wasn’t nothing! They found their identity at that point and time. It was a laughing stock when people came to Denver before that. When I got drafted, it changed the whole thing. We changed our colors and the uniforms and we brought new energy to Denver. I was creating a culture that was there. People started to talk about Denver more and it all snowballed until I left. My whole time in Denver was special because of that. It was something that I created."
Carmelo Anthony and his stellar career with the Denver Nuggets
Carmelo Anthony ended his 8-year stay at the franchise with 13,970 points. He became the third-highest scorer in franchise history, only behind Alex English and Dan Issel. His brilliance with the Nuggets rewarded him one NBA Second-Team and three third-team selections. He was also selected as an all-star four times when he was part of the Nuggets.
After moving around the league, Carmelo Anthony now finds himself alongside his long-time friend LeBron James. He was part of the star-studded Lakers team recruitment during the offseason. The team has a lot of experience and if things go right for them, he could very well win his first NBA championship. Speaking about teaming up with LeBron in the same interview, Carmelo Anthony said:
"The timing of it was right. For years, we always talked about playing with each other but it was never the right time or situation for both parties. Now, there’s a natural fit. To be in this time of all of our careers, I think we need to take advantage of this. Years ago, we were all in our own lanes, with our own teams. It probably wouldn’t have worked. But now, where we’re at now, later in the career, more mature, more appreciative of each other and the game, having the same goals, we are gonna enjoy this moment. The timing is perfect."
Also Read: Who is Carmelo Anthony’s wife, Alani "La La" Vazquez?