“(You) can be in Australia in a beautiful city and (with) a beautiful beach, get the development and proper training and play against professionals who may not be NBA pros but are pros nonetheless.”

“If guys have the opportunity to experience that and are very conscious of what they want to do, then I think this is the place for them.”

Spanish-born Perth striker Izan Alamansa looks to be the pick of the NBL Next Stars this season, but South East Melbourne’s Malique Lewis has shown promise with his athleticism.

In an in-depth interview, Anthony (a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, or the 75 Greatest Players in the Competition’s History) also spoke about Giddey’s future; the cold, harsh reality of being acted upon without warning; the legacies of Stephen Curry and LeBron James; and the NBA’s infamous dress code for its players.

Giddey “deserves the start”

Anthony said it was unfortunate that Australian star Josh Giddey had to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder just as they were becoming title contenders.

“It was sad to see Giddey leave OKC because I know the team they are building there and the energy and role he had (in it),” Anthony said.

“But I think he’ll fit in well in Chicago – they’ve got a good, young team, (and) they just lost (six-time NBA All-Star) DeMar DeRozan, so they’re trying to rebuild and some younger energy “, so this is the right situation for him.

“Get started, you know what I mean? You deserve to be in the starting lineup, you deserve to be the starting player of a team and not come off the bench.”

Boomers Josh Green (to Charlotte) and Dyson Daniels (to Atlanta) were among the many NBA players traded this offseason, and Anthony said he hates that teams can move players without warning.

Green, who helped the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals, was one of those players who had little idea he would make a move.

“It’s the dark side of the game that I never agree with,” Anthony said.

“I hate this part of the game; that someone can act on you without you even being aware of it.

“This doesn’t exist in any other industry except basketball and sports. That’s one of the parts I don’t agree with.”

Anthony would like to see more care given to players being traded.

“I’m just saying there’s a certain level of respect missing in sports, that’s my only thing,” Anthony said.

“Let’s pay a little more attention to families, to situations and individuals – let’s not take out the soul and emotion part of it.”

Why we appreciate Steph Curry and LeBron James when they’re gone

Anthony is no longer the face of an NBA franchise, just a face in the crowd, and he couldn’t be happier.

From his unforgettable college championship with Syracuse in 2002-03 to a 20-year NBA career to three Olympic gold medals, the 10-time All-Star has a legacy that easily ranks among the all-time greats.

Still, he always seemed to carry a weight on his shoulders — first as a prodigy who would lead the Denver Nuggets out of the doldrums to a title, then as an established New York Knicks franchise player who still can’t quite get there Find your way back to the top of the NBA.

But Anthony, now 40, had a relaxed aura as he sat with the masthead during his Australian tour, which included an Evening with Carmelo event.

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“I did it at the highest level for 20 years and I couldn’t be a fan of people (other players),” Anthony said.

“At this point, what’s done is done. I always had an appreciation for the game. I think what people are seeing now is a real, true, real, authentic appreciation of the game.”

Anthony was on the sidelines at Paris 2024 as LeBron James and Stephen Curry led Team USA to gold.

But there’s one thing he doesn’t want to be: an “old crone” who criticizes younger players, even if the U.S. starts losing games once James and Curry retire.

“It’s inevitable that iron sharpens iron – as the rest of the world gets better, the American players, the NBA, gets better too,” Anthony said.

“It will be very competitive. We don’t appreciate what we’ve seen from this group of players who are about to retire and move on to their lives.

“We’ll appreciate these guys when this younger group is in position and now we’ve got to cheer them on and try to toe the line of what we can say and what we can’t say without being like the old hag there to be outside.”

The NBA’s infamous dress code

Anthony has always been a player whose sense of style turned heads but wasn’t always well received.

In 2005, Anthony and Allen Iverson were among the stars targeted by NBA Commissioner David Stern’s dress code, which banned jerseys, baggy jeans, excessive jewelry and sunglasses (among other items) indoors and required players to wear to dress in business casual attire at games and suits on team benches.

“It was hard, especially when you became one of the so-called reasons for the dress code being introduced,” Anthony remembers.

“It’s like, man, I’m 21, 22 years old, I get it, but I don’t know how to wear a suit.

“Nobody told me how to wear a suit at 20 – I don’t know what that means, do you?

“So don’t come in, put down your iron fist and say this is happening. Explain to us what’s going on.

“It was for the better, for improving the game and the look; the aesthetics of the NBA. It worked then.

“Looking now 20 years later, it’s a catwalk (at games).”

So what would happen if current NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made such a decision today?

“Adam…his retirement would happen soon,” Anthony said with a laugh.

Melo loves “neutral territory”

After Anthony’s Night With event in Melbourne, a fan tweeted a message to him thanking him for giving his son a high five as he took the stage.

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“I don’t think twice about it. It’s just who I am, especially when they’re there for me. I’m going to show you love,” Anthony said.

“Before, as a player, you go through the motions, you don’t know who is cheering for you, you get yelled at, booed, all sorts of things. The fact that I can be in neutral territory, just be a man. That means a lot more.”

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