Why are there clouds of uncertainty around a major honor for Carmelo Anthony despite his Hall of Fame induction? Once you’ve reached the pinnacle of basketball recognition, you’d think your former teams would follow suit by immortalizing your jersey. While jersey retirement with the New York Knicks just seems to be a matter of time, things seem a bit more complicated with another one of Melo’s former franchises.
Let’s rewind to where it all started—Denver. Long before his Madison Square Garden nights, Melo was already making waves with the Nuggets. He played eight strong seasons for the $3.9 billion franchise and racked up an incredible 13,970 points—more than he ever did in New York. During his time in Denver, Anthony consistently carried the offensive load, establishing himself as a premier scorer in the league and the undisputed leader of the Nuggets franchise. So, it’s not surprising that someone like Draymond Green has strong feelings about how Denver should be honoring the former superstar.
“It’s [jesrsey] definitely getting retired with the Knicks. And I think it also should get retired with Denver,” the Golden State Warriors forward said. “Because Melo spent just about the same amount of time with Denver as he spent with the Knicks… When you think of Denver Nuggets and the baby blue jerseys, you first think of Melo… He was the person making the Denver Nuggets culturally cool and had a great start to his career with the Denver Nuggets.”
And he’s not wrong. Carmelo Anthony wasn’t just putting up numbers—he was making history. During his Denver run, he earned 6 All-Star selections, 2 All-NBA nods, and a spot on the All-Rookie First Team. Even more impressive? He led the Nuggets to the playoffs 7 straight times, including that unforgettable 2009 Western Conference Finals showdown against Kobe Bryant’s Lakers.
So, why isn’t No. 15 already hanging in Ball Arena? As most fans would know, Anthony isn’t the only Nuggets legend to wear that number. Since 2003, fans in Denver have watched two generational talents ball out in No. 15 jerseys. And now, that number belongs to none other than Nikola Jokic, the reigning face of the franchise. Nikola Jokic has not only continued the legacy of wearing No. 15 with excellence but has also led the Nuggets to unprecedented success, including their recent NBA championship and his multiple MVP awards, solidifying his place as a franchise icon deserving of jersey retirement.
That’s where the complication lies. How do you honor two franchise icons who wore the same number?
Draymond had a suggestion on his The Draymond Green Show: why not both? “Everybody’s like, ‘Oh, but Joker got the number. He should get it retired.’ Just like other guys are grandfathered in. He grandfathered in, and his is getting retired anyway. But both things can be true. Both guys can have a jersey retired.”
Dec 14, 2009; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony dribbles up the court in the first period against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
And history has his back on this one. The Trail Blazers retired No. 30 for both Bobby Gross and Terry Porter. The Knicks? They did the same with No. 15 for Earl Monroe and Dick McGuire. Another notable example is the Boston Celtics, who have retired the number 3 for both Dennis Johnson and Kevin McHale, demonstrating that honoring multiple legends with the same jersey number is a precedent in NBA history.
So maybe Denver doesn’t need to choose. Especially when two of their former coaches believe so.
Carmelo Anthony’s first NBA coaches open up on the jersey retirement conundrum
When Melo’s name popped up in the 2025 Hall of Fame class, it felt like a no-brainer to those who watched him light up Denver in the early 2000s. Especially if you ask his first two NBA coaches, George Karl and Jeff Bzdelik — they don’t just believe he belongs in Springfield. They believe he belongs in the Ball Arena rafters, too. But as mentioned earlier, the conversation around retiring his No. 15 jersey hasn’t been so straightforward.
George Karl, who returned to coach Anthony after recovering from a cancer diagnosis, was on the sidelines for Melo’s final stretch in a Nuggets uniform. Since then, the two haven’t exactly seen eye to eye. Still, Karl isn’t holding onto old grudges. In fact, he thinks it’s time the Nuggets let the past go, too.
“I have no problem retiring both Jokic and Melo’s number,” Karl said candidly. “It’s not the norm, sure, but they both earned it. So why not? Hang Melo’s 15 with his name underneath, and when Jokic’s time comes, we raise his too.”
Bzdelik, who coached Melo at the very start, agrees. He knows firsthand what that jersey has meant in Denver. “They both should have their jersey retired,” he said. “Make No. 15 sacred. That’s probably the right move — just my two cents.” It’s clear that multiple names from the NBA community desire to see Carmelo Anthony’s No. 15 up in the rafters at Ball Arena. Now, it’s to be seen what judgment the Nuggets eventually reach.
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