Carmelo Anthony during his introduction as a global ambassador for the FIBA World Cup 2023 in Quezon City on February 24, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
Carmelo Anthony, one of the premier scorers in the history of the NBA and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, has officially retired from basketball.
Anthony made the emotional announcement on his social media accounts, where he acknowledged that "the time has come for me to say goodbye" to the game after 19 seasons in the NBA.
"I'm excited about what the future holds for me," added the 38-year-old Anthony, who was the third overall pick in the famed 2003 NBA Rookie Draft by the Denver Nuggets.
Anthony would go on to become a 10-time NBA All-Star and the scoring champion in 2013, when he played for the New York Knicks. He spent the bulk of his career with Denver (2003-2011) and New York (2011-2017) before moving from team to team in the latter part of his NBA journey. Anthony last played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2021-22 season.
A prolific scorer from the moment he entered the league, Anthony is currently ninth in the NBA's scoring list, with 28,289 points scored in 19 seasons.
The 6-foot-7 small forward was also a mainstay of the United States men's national basketball team, winning gold medals in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics. His four Olympic stints are a record, and he retires as Team USA's all-time leader in points, rebounds, and games played.
He was also voted into the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team as one of the league's greatest players ever.
"Basketball was my outlet," Anthony said in his farewell video. "[But] my story has always been more than basketball."
Anthony said he considered his son, Kiyan, as his true legacy and exhorted him to chase his dreams. "Let nothing hold you back. Let nothing intervene. My legacy, now and forever, lives on through you."
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