Carmelo Anthony, the star forward who led Syracuse to an NCAA championship in his only college season and spent 19 years in the NBA, announced his retirement Monday.
Anthony, who was not in the NBA this season, he retires as the ninth scorer in league history.
Only LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal scored more than Anthony, who ends his career with 28,289 points.
“Now the time has come to say goodbye…to the game that gave me purpose and pride”Anthony said in a videotaped message announcing his decision, one he called “bittersweet.”
Anthony’s legacy has long been secure – he ends his playing days after being selected as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history, 10-time All-Star, former scoring champion, and six-time All-NBA.
And while he never made it to the NBA Finals (he only played in the conference finals once, with Denver against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in 2009), Anthony also knew what it was like to be a champion.