U.S.A. Teammates Convinced Carmelo Anthony To Go To Rio

Like many other contemporaries, Carmelo Anthony wrestled with his decision to participate in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

Anthony stood center stage with longtime friends LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul at the 2016 ESPYs and the four delivered a memorable monologue about the importance of athletes participation in the national dialogue on social issues.

U.S.A. Teammates Convinced Carmelo Anthony To Go To Rio

But neither James, Wade, nor Paul planned to participate in Rio.

Despite advice from some who told him “don’t do it,” according to Anthony, he chose to chase his third Olympic gold medal.

But without some persuasive discussion from his Olympic teammates and coaches, Melo might have been watching the events in Rio from his couch in Manhattan.

“They were saying, ‘It’s your time, your Olympics. You should take advantage of this opportunity,’ ” Anthony told reporters. “Once the guys started reaching out and talking to me about that, it felt good to hear my colleagues want me to have that.”

But it wasn’t just the players that encouraged Anthony to suit up for Team U.S.A., head coach Mike Kryzyzewski was prodding the 13-year pro as well, though he wasn’t the only coach, either.

U.S. Assistant Jim Boeheim expressed the importance of participating to Anthony a week before the 2016 NBA Final began.

“I don’t try to tell him what to do. He’s his own man,” Boeheim said of Anthony. “But I wanted him to play.”

Boeheim coached Anthony at Syracuse in Melo’s ‘one-and-done’ season of 2002-2003 that led to the Orange’s first-ever NCAA Tournament title, further forging the bond between the two men.

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Since, Anthony routinely rings up Boeheim to talk strategy, family or life beyond basketball.

“I told him two things,” Boeheim said. “‘You can help us. We need a veteran guy. Second, you’ve been losing for three years. Let’s get a good basketball experience. This is something you really should do.'”

Between Boeheim’s argument and the constant prodding from the players, Anthony ultimately succumbed to the pressure and announced he would participate in Rio.

Having endured one of his worst seasons in the NBA, which included a knee injury and an 32-50 team record, Anthony attributed his decision to play for Team U.S.A. to having the opportunity to win.

Just like Boeheim pointed out.

“It’s about going over there, having fun,” Melo said. “Getting the winning feeling back and trying to get another gold medal.”

Anthony acknowledged that his last three seasons, all of which the Knicks missed the NBA playoffs, were trying times for him mentally.

New York won a combined 86 games over that span. The Golden State Warriors won 73 games last season alone.

“The struggle for me over the past couple of years was not even wins and losses but staying mentally strong to go through those situations and deal with that two-, three-year time period where I never experienced anything like that in my career,” Anthony said.

Fortunately for Anthony, and Knicks fans, things are looking up at his day job.

New York acquired former NBA MVP Derrick Rose via trade and signed former Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah in a free agency frenzy that saw the Knicks turn over nearly the entire roster.

Rose and Noah will join Anthony and rising star Kristaps Porzingis in the starting lineup as franchises throughout the league try to assemble “Superteams,” that can compete with the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers and juggernaut Warriors.

In 16 career games in the Olympics, Anthony is averaging 13.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in 18.4 minutes.

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His best-ever Olympic performance came against Nigeria in the 2012 games in London, when he dropped 10 3-pointers in just 14 minutes en route to posting 37 points.

“I was very, very pleased that he made that decision,” said U.S.A. Basketball Managing Director Jerry Colangelo .”Carmelo has gone through some difficult years in the NBA – maybe having individual success, but not having team success. As it relates to USA Basketball, Carmelo has thrived in international competition and he’s also won.”