George Karl made a new batch of enemies last week when he said that Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin don’t know how to act because they had no father to teach them how to be men. Now, Karl is saying that Anthony cared about his personal brand more than defense.
In the past week, it’s been a roller coaster for the Knicks. They’re fighting to stay above .500 as the month of December is coming to an end. Their loss on Christmas Day had many calling Carmelo Anthony “this generation’s Charles Barkley,” which is a big hit below the belt. Anthony is focused on the a possible playoff appearance while George Karl is still trying to stay relevant, as per JR Smith’s tweet.
Furious George is due in January 2017 and Karl took the opportunity to speak more about Anthony, because of course. But this time, he touched upon what is basically entrepreneurship.
“Melo is a hell of a player, the best offensive player I’ve ever coached. I owe him as much as anyone for my having a great record,” Karl said. “But there’s a new generation of players interested in personal branding and gaining money and power off the court, and that’s all new to me. There were too many times with Melo when what was going on off the court was more important than what was happening on the court. It bothered me then and it bothers me now.”
It is an interesting point worth discussing considering the fact that today’s players are more than just players. Some have fashion lines and are really active in community affairs. But personal branding doesn’t mean you are ignoring your job. Much like Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk discussed, he might be out of touch because of his old school ideals but that’s not an excuse because Coach Gregg Popovich is 67-years old, who is obviously older than Karl, doesn’t have those old school ways. So in this case, age isn’t a factor and instead, it’s pure stubbornness.
As Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk put it, Karl’s stance on pro athletes and their personal brands shows he is out of touch. The 65-year-old has an old-school mentality that could be helpful in some situations, but some of the content of his book and his recent remarks indicate the modern sports world is passing him by.
Will you pick up a copy of Furious George? The only way I’ll read it is for free, while skimming through certain parts as I stand in a Barnes & Noble.
