LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Carmelo Anthony, Portland Trail Blazers. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
LeBron James had nice words for his brother Carmelo Anthony on Instagram.
LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony aren’t biological brothers, but basketball brothers.
James’ Los Angeles Lakers eliminated Anthony’s Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. While James has three NBA championships to his name, Anthony has never even been to one.
Still, in the twilight of their illustrious careers, James had some nice words he shared over Instagram about his beloved 2003 NBA Draft class brother.
Did we see the ending of Carmelo Anthony’s last best shot at a title?
While James was a high school phenom in Akron, Ohio, Anthony led Syracuse to its only national championship under Jim Boeheim is his lone year there. James went No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Anthony went two picks later to the Denver Nuggets at No. 3 overall. Had he gone to the Detroit Pistons at No. 2, Anthony would have been a champion well before James.
Their NBA journeys have gone in so many directions. As James is now on his third different team looking to lead the Lakers to a title, we have to wonder if Anthony would have been better off staying with the Nuggets than forcing a trade to the New York Knicks. While Anthony rebounded as a key player on the 2019-20 Trail Blazers, it’s a shame he might end up going ringless.
Both are future first-ballot Basketball Hall-of-Famers. James is a Mount Rushmore candidate in the history of the NBA. From college to the NBA to his brilliant career with Team USA, Anthony’s basketball resume speaks for itself. The only thing that is left at this point is for James and Anthony to become NBA teammates for the first time. Could they win a title together and retire?
James’ appreciation for all that Anthony has been through does not go unnoticed.