Carmelo Anthony has called it a career.
The 38-year-old, who had spent more than half of his life in the NBA, announced his retirement on Monday via a video he posted to social media.
“Now the time has come for me to say goodbye, to the court where I made my name, to the game that gave me purpose and pride,” he said. “With this bittersweet goodbye to the NBA, I am excited for what the future holds for me.”
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Anthony entered the NBA at 19 years old after winning a national championship in his lone collegiate season at Syracuse. The Denver Nuggets selected him with the No. 3 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, and he embarked on a journey that will soon lead to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
For his career, Anthony earned 10 All-Star selections, six All-NBA selections, three Olympic gold medals and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. His 28,289 points are ninth-most in NBA history.
Anthony played for six teams in his 19 NBA seasons. He spent his first seven seasons in Denver before getting traded to the New York Knicks in February 2011. He was with the Knicks through the 2016-17 season before making stops with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers over the next five years. He last played in L.A. during the 2021-22 campaign.
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“I am forever grateful for those people and places because they made me Carmelo Anthony,” he said.
As part of his announcement, Anthony said his legacy will live on through his son, Kiyan, who is a highly ranked prospect in the class of 2025.
“When people ask what I believe my legacy is, it’s not my feats on the court that come to mind, or the awards or praise, because my story has always been more than basketball,” Anthony said. “My legacy, my son, it’s in you.”
