Storyline: Carmelo Anthony is NOT a Top 10 NBA player, Stephen A! He’s a 32-year old, squeaky knee, $24 million dollar show pony!
Courtesy: Deadspin
If many of you have been following my work over the past few years, you can attest to my admiration and respect for Stephen A. Smith. It’s because of this man’s honesty, bluntness, and straightforward thinking that I myself became a journalist.
With that being said (taken directly from a list of many phrases), it’s with heavy and bleeding heart that I have to admit that Stephen A. Smith has completely LOST HIS MIND!
It took Mr. Max Kellerman–yes, he of the Greenwich Village Kellermans–to point out the obvious to Mr. Smith.
Carmelo Anthony IS the 15th best player in the NBA! I ABSOLUTELY 100% AGREE! When Kellerman read off his list of players that he believed were better than Carmelo Anthony, I couldn’t agree more with the man. For Stephen A. to even argue that point was ludicrous, I thought.
Courtesy: Fox Sports Asia
Then the reasons on which Smith based his argument was even more redundant than his argument altogether! His basis for saying Melo was a better player than Kawhi Leonard was this: “Who would you take with the game on the line?” What?
Come on, Stephen A.! Are you serious? Did those words really just come out of your mouth? Is this what they taught you at Winston-Salem State?
You’re seriously stating that you would take a one-way playing scorer over a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a NBA Finals MVP? Really? So this is what the world of sports has come to? You can be completely dillusional even when the FACTS don’t support your argument?
Before I dig deeper into this insane comparison, let me give you some of the guys Max Kellerman ranked higher than Melo.
I COMPLETELY agree with him.
Courtesy: allbasketball.org
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Paul George
Stephen Curry
Kawhi Leonard
Russell Westbrook
Courtesy: Standingosports.com
Chris Paul
James Harden
Demarcus Cousins
Damian Lillard
Blake Griffin, and I’m going to add
Jimmy Butler and D Wade.
The Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler arguments are similar. They both can score 25+ and still hold the opposing team’s best player to under 20 or make them shoot under 40% from the field.
While Melo may be a prolific scorer, he doesn’t play defense to save his life! Also, he doesn’t make ANYBODY around him better! Last season he had career highs in assists (4.4 per game) and rebounds (7 per game) and his team still didn’t make the playoffs!
After 10+ plus seasons we’re raving about a guy just eclipsing a 7-rebounds-per-game average? He’s 6’8, 240 lbs. and his career high in rebounds per game is 7? Meanwhile, you have a guy in Cleveland who has averaged 27, 8, and 8 for his CAREER!
Stephen A. was discussing just a few months ago how Carmelo Anthony said winning a Gold Medal was better–or just as good–as winning an NBA title. That statement alone tells you a lot about Carmelo Anthony. His scoring prowess and multiple appearances on the All-Star rosters are far more satisfying than winning a title.
Courtesy: boston.com
Maybe that’s why he doesn’t care about making others around him better. He’s still going to make All-Star teams and score a ton of points (albeit shooting 30 times per game to score 30 points) Way to go Melo! That’s the old team spirit: SELFISHNESS!
Kawhi Leonard earned Finals MVP honors and Defensive Player of the Year while playing alongside three future Hall of Famers–Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli! Jimmy Butler became an All-Star player and a lock-down defender, all while carrying the Bulls on his back. Remember former league MVP, Derrick Rose? He was sidelined for almost two seasons while Butler’s star continued to rise.
Carmelo Anthony was in the same boat, except his team didn’t make the playoffs! So what did all of that prolific scoring get him? Answer: an early vacation from work, another All-Star selection, and a nod to play for Team USA. Great! Meanwhile, his employers (New York Knicks) got stuck with a 32-year old, squeaky knee, $24 million show pony!
Yeah, Stephen A. Great argument! How could anyone ever rank Melo lower than the guys mentioned before him?
What were we thinking?
