Carmelo Anthony’s attempts to get back into basketball have been unsuccessful so far. This doesn’t just include a spot on an NBA roster, which he has been pining for since the Houston Rockets let him go last year, but a report from last month indicated that USA Basketball wouldn’t bring him on board to compete for a spot on this summer’s World Cup, either.
Anthony is the most decorated international player in the history of USA Basketball, so it was a bit surprising that the federation was so adamant that he wouldn’t get a shot. On Thursday, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo explained the rationale behind the decision in an interview with Michael Lee of The Athletic, saying that while he’s close with Anthony, his recent media appearances would have potentially distracted the squad as it focuses on preparing for the World Cup.
“I understood why the agent, he’s looking to get him the exposure, looking to get him another shot,” Colangelo told Lee. “But the only way (Anthony) can really be satisfied is for him to have another shot in the NBA, with another team and recently, he’s been aggressive media-wise, letting people know, ‘I feel like I can still play. I just need an opportunity, blah, blah, blah.’ With us, that would’ve been more of a distraction, as we discussed it. We need to focus on this team concept. We have a bunch of new guys and we’re going to go with this new group. And when you insert a different element and it detracts in any way, you lose it. That was it. That’s no reflection on Carmelo. I love the guy. But I don’t think it would’ve been healthy for our program at this time.”
You can argue that if Anthony was with USA Basketball and got to show that he could still get the job done on the floor, he wouldn’t have needed to, say, go onto First Take and talk about why he can still contribute to an NBA team. But apparently, those with USA Basketball decided that even with a number of players passing on the opportunity to suit up this summer, Anthony’s efforts to get back to the league would have been detrimental to the squad as it looks to win its third World Cup in a row.
