19 seasons. 6 teams. 10-time All-Star. 3 Olympic golds. Carmelo Anthony did everything. The only thing missing? An NBA title. And yet, Melo made it to the Hall of Fame – finally, the day is within sight. It shows just how dominant he was in his era. Each player from every era knows that you don’t get there by luck alone; it takes consistency, respect, and numbers to back up the big talk. And now, NBA insider Marc Stein just backed that up with some fresh inside info, confirming Melo’s legacy is getting the love it deserves.
In the latest episode of the ‘All NBA Podcast’, Marc Stein sat down with Adam Mares to chat about everything buzzing in the NBA right now. Naturally, the conversation shifted to Carmelo Anthony, particularly with his Hall of Fame induction announcement made this Saturday as part of the 2025 class. Now, let me remind you, Marc and Melo go way back; one wrote the headlines, and the other one was the headline. So their crossing of paths someday was inevitable. Amid the news of the HOF induction, Marc pulled back the curtain on a side of Carmelo most fans have never seen – something that is real, something personal or, if you want, you can call it a little bit ‘selfish’.
When host Adam Mares asked Marc Stein about his experience interviewing Carmelo Anthony, Marc opened up. “I really enjoyed covering him,” he said, with a smile that hinted there’s more to this story. See, when Melo entered the league, it wasn’t just about him. It was the legendary 2003 draft class: LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Melo, all of these future HOFs.
“You know it’s impossible to not look at the draft class, you think of the all. LeBron, Wade, Chris (Bosh), Melo”, Mark said. But he always got the same vibe from Carmelo as he said, “I always found Melo to be the easiest one for me to interview.”
Sep 28, 2021; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony (7) answers questions during media day at the UCLA Health and Training Center in El Segundo, Calif. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
And what more could a journalist ask for, right? When the person sitting across from you is easygoing and isn’t holding back – when they’re really willing to share what’s on their mind, that’s gold right there. Marc put it perfectly when he called Carmelo “the most revealing.” And he wasn’t exaggerating. There was a moment that stuck with Marc when Melo opened up about something deeply personal.
Carmelo Anthony gets candid about his rocky chapter with the Knicks’ front office
In a candid 2017 sit-down with Marc Stein for The New York Times, Carmelo Anthony peeled back the curtain on one of the messiest chapters of his career: his rocky fallout with the New York Knicks and former team president Phil Jackson.
“When you feel like you’re on your own and then on top of that you feel like you’re being pushed out…” a candid Melo said. “… I think at that point it was too far gone.” It wasn’t just tension, it was heartbreak through-and-through. Carmelo had already made up his mind. He wanted to win. He wanted a fresh start. But the process dragged on longer than expected. And the way Phil Jackson handled it? Well, Melo didn’t sugarcoat that either. “He was willing to trade me for a bag of chips,” he told Stein, no-holds-barred.
Fast forward to today 2025 and that quote still echoes. It reminds us of how much Melo endured just to chase greatness. And despite everything, he still made it to the Hall of Fame. No ring, no problem. That legacy? Recognized at last. A burden has been lifted, after all – to paraphrase Carmelo Anthony’s own words.
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