Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony Eager To Play In Olympics, To Know What ‘Success Feel Like’

Following another miserable season with the New York Knicks, veteran forward Carmelo Anthony has stated that he is looking forward to winning some games with the U.S. basketball team at the Olympics in Rio this summer.

Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony Eager To Play In Olympics

“From a morale standpoint as a player, if you’ve been through the things I’ve been through the past couple of years, you want to feel what that success feels like,” Anthony told reporters in Dallas on Tuesday. “You want that success. So the Olympics for me is great timing, especially coming off this season and injuries, and mentally it’s good for me to get out there and feel what that feels like again.”

Anthony, 31, is about to miss the playoffs for the third consecutive year with the Knicks, who are 30-45 this season and ranked 13th in the Eastern Conference following their 91-99 road loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Anthony led teams to the postseason in the first 10 years of his career.

Anthony stated Tuesday that he is still committed to playing in the Olympics even though his good friend, Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, has announced he will not be going.

Paul played for the US in 2008 and ’12, and will be unable to join Anthony and LeBron James as the first players to win three Olympic basketball gold medals. James has yet to commit to playing in this summer’s games.

“If we were all going to do it, I would’ve loved for (Paul) to be a part of that, especially for this one last time,” Anthony said of Paul. “If he’s not feeling it, his body’s not right and not healthy, then no need for him [to play].”

Paul’s decision was first reported Tuesday by Sports Illustrated. He is the second key player to pull out of the Olympics. New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis was forced to pull out due to shoulder and knee injuries.

Caption: NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 01: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks takes a shot as Al-Farouq Aminu #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers defends at Madison Square Garden on March 1, 2016 in New York City.The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New York Knicks 104-85.