Carmelo Anthony was asked if seeing LeBron James deciding to go back to Cleveland influenced his own decision to stay in New York. Carmelo, who in his spare time manufactures his own sunlight, had a different take on LeBron’s big news. He inspired LeBron, he thinks, not “the other way around.” Carmelo told SLAM: “I think he [LeBron] saw when I came back home to New York and saw the response and saw the reaction and saw how at peace I was when I came back home.” That’s what did it for LeBron, according to Melo. Even though Carmelo didn’t go anywhere this summer–he just signed for big-ass money in the biggest money town–and James left two rings in chic Miami to go to Cleveland. Carmelo sees the parallels you don’t. Trust him.
New York Knicks fans will be none too pleased to hear that Carmelo Anthony is “at peace.” The Knicks missed the playoffs last year and they haven’t gone past the second round since Carmelo Anthony “came home.” In fact, in a quick informal survey, most fans could not say where Carmelo was originally from–despite his identifying as a New Yorker (he left, age 8). Most fans could, however, tell you if the Knicks are a good team. No, they are not.