NBA great Carmelo Anthony retires after 19 seasons

Carmelo Anthony’s professional basketball career has come to an end.

After 19 seasons in the NBA, the 10-time All-Star announced Monday he has retired. Anthony posted a video to his social media pages addressing his career with highlights from his basketball days from high school at Oak Hill Academy to college at Syracuse and in the NBA with several teams.

“I remember the days when I had nothing. Just a ball on the court and a dream of something more. But basketball was my outlet,” he said. “My purpose was strong, my communities, the cities I represented with pride, and the fans that supported me along the way. I am forever grateful for those people and places because they made me, Carmelo Anthony.

“But 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. With this bittersweet goodbye to the NBA, I am excited about what the future holds for me.”

Anthony said in the video he was passing the torch to his son, Kiyan Anthony, as he gets ready to take his basketball career to the next level. Kiyan is a four-star recruit at Christ The King Regional in New York, according to 247 Sports.

“When people ask what I believe my legacy is, it’s not my feats on the court that come to mind – nor the awards or praise because my story has always been more than basketball. My legacy, my son, is in you. I will forever continue through you because the time has come for you to carry this torch. So, Ki, chase your dreams. Let nothing hold you back. Let nothing intervene.

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“My legacy, now and forever, lives on through you. And I’ll always be proud of all that you do.”

Anthony, 38, was a part of the legendary 2003 NBA Draft class. He was the No. 3 overall pick of the Denver Nuggets – behind LeBron James and Darko Milicic and in front of Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.

The played seven full seasons with the Nuggets before he was traded to the New York Knicks in the middle of his eighth in one of the biggest blockbuster deals in the organization’s history.

He helped electrify the Knicks’ fan base for more than six years. He made his final All-Star team in his final season with the Knicks in 2016-17. He would then play for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers.

He finishes his career as a 10-time All-Star, the 2012-23 NBA scoring champion, an NCAA champion with Syracuse, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

Anthony averaged 22.5 points per game for his career and shot a career 44.7% from the field.