Last season was horrifically different for Carmelo from this season. Last season Melo had to deal with talk of getting Mike D’Antoni fired and Linsanity breaking out.
Anthony was frustrated, people were questioning if he was the problem, if the Knicks were Lin’s team and what not. During the All Star break, Anthony received a phone called that may have changed his future, his life, and this season.
According to ESPN L.A., the person on the other line was the ultimate winner, friend, and none other than the “Black Mamba,” Kobe Bryant.
Bryant; “Everybody said, ‘Well, they’re better without Carmelo,’ and all this nonsense,” Bryant said. “You guys really put the hammer on him, and as a result, he kind of got a little gun shy and a little self-conscious about things.
“I asked him, ‘What’s going on? What the hell are you doing?’ I said, ‘Do what you do best.'”
Melo: “He was just like, ‘What’s wrong? You know you’re not healthy. Just make sure you get healthy and come back and do what you’ve got to do. Try not to worry about what’s going on, what’s being said and just play basketball,'” Anthony said. “‘You know what you can do. You know what you’re capable of. Go from there.’
“At that point in time it was something that was good to hear, especially coming from a guy like that.”
Last seasons drama with the Knicks and the trolling that went on is all you need to know with what’s wrong with the media at times.
Was Carmelo out of shape? Yes. Did Carmelo shoot too much and not play defense? Yes. The fact that so many pundits who digress from naming felt the need to question if Melo was the problem, and if Jeremy Lin was the answer to the problem is hilarious and sad all in one.