The last few weeks have been an up-and-down experience for many Knicks fans with all the injuries, and inconsistent results. But on Wednesday afternoon, Knicks fans got a nice little surprise as Shams Charania of ESPN reported that former Knick Carmelo Anthony had been notified that he’d been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
First ballot: Carmelo Anthony has been notified that he's been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025, sources tell ESPN. Anthony made 10 All-Star appearances and six All-NBA teams in 19 seasons to go along with three Olympic gold medals for Team USA. pic.twitter.com/b079xHPqZB
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 2, 2025
Anthony played for the Denver Nuggets, who drafted him, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. But the retired forward, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Syracuse University, is probably most known for his time with the Knicks, where he spent his prime years. During his six-and-a-half seasons in New York, Anthony averaged 24.7PPG, 7RPG, and 3.2APG while shooting 44.3% from the field, and 36.9% from three, and led the franchise to its first three playoff appearances since 2004. As a Knick, Anthony also made six All-Star appearances, and two All-NBA teams, while also being top 15 in MVP voting twice.
Despite his stats and accolades though, some Knicks fans have been critical of his polarizing time as a Knick mainly due to his playing style, and the lack of team success. His defensive effort was inconsistent, his playmaking, despite being an above-average passer, came and went, and his willingness and effectiveness as an off-ball player was always in question. But a lot of the team’s success, or lack thereof, can also be blamed on the front office, and their inability to surround Anthony with a good enough, and stylistically appropriate supporting cast.
Outside of the 2012-13 season, where the team surrounded Anthony with the best version of J.R. Smith, and veterans that allowed Anthony to do what he does best, Anthony spent time trying to lead teams where guys like Iman Shumpert, Tim Hardaway Jr., Andrea Bargnani, Lance Thomas, Kyle O’Quinn, Jose Calderon, Langston Galloway, Ron Baker, Willy Hernangomez, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Joakim Noah were integral parts of the rotation.
And while Anthony’s time in New York should’ve been more celebrated, his less-than-perfect tenure as a Knick was made even more sour by the somewhat ugly exit. After years of playing through injuries and giving the city, and the franchise his blood, sweat, and tears, the front office, along with some of the fans, turned their backs on him. Time, as it often does, has helped heal those wounds, and mend some relationships though. Since Anthony’s departure from New York, and his eventual retirement, Anthony has come back to the Garden on multiple occasions, spoken very highly of the current Knicks’, and has received more of the recognition, and credit that he’s long deserved.
Regardless of what you think about Anthony and his tenure as a Knick, you cannot argue with his accolades and stats. Often considered by his peers as one of the greatest pure scorers ever, Anthony, who is a three-time gold medalist, a 10-time All-Star, a six-time All-NBA player, a scoring champion, and one of the league’s 75 greatest players, is on his way to being inducted into the Hall of Fame, and that is a great thing for the Knicks and all their fans.