The Miami Heat had the best team in the world by far when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh formed their core. Yet, it looks like Carmelo Anthony was not keen on joining them in South Beach and he has explained why.
Carmelo and LeBron have shared a long history and friendship. They were part of the same draft class.
The Cleveland Cavaliers picked LeBron first overall while Carmelo was selected third by the Denver Nuggets.
LeBron has gone on to establish himself as one of the greatest of all time. On the other hand, it does feel like Carmelo somewhat underachieved in his career, considering the potential he had.
Carmelo was one of the best in the league in his prime but he never won a Championship. In fact, he was never even able to make it to the NBA Finals.
All of that could have turned out differently if he had decided to team up with LeBron, Bosh and Wade in Miami. But Carmelo seemingly had no interest in being the fourth-best player on his own team.
While speaking on Podcast P with Paul George, Carmelo said: “Imagine me at 23 years old, 24 years old, being the fourth option on a team when I’m leading my team every single year, like I’m finding my way in this league and you want me to leave that and go be a fourth option.
“I don’t know mentally how I was gonna be ready for that. It ain’t got nothing to do with money. Mentally I don’t know how I was gonna do that.
“I wouldn’t, I’d have had a different role. I’d have had to figure out my role on that team. These are alphas that we all coming together like, Bron is an alpha. D-Wade is an alpha. Don’t nobody give Chris Bosh enough credit. Chris Bosh was ridiculous in Toronto.”
While Carmelo did not end up tasting Championship glory, he was the face of the New York Knicks for more than six seasons.
LeBron and Carmelo did end up teaming eventually but by that point, the latter was well past his prime. He played his last season with the Los Angeles Lakers but only started three games that season before calling it a day.