NEW ORLEANS — Somebodies wear sunglasses at night.
If, say, you wore sunglasses after dark, the plan to exude cool would inevitably backfire, and you would instead be a walking punch line (possibly walking into stationary objects, as well).
But in New Orleans this All-Star Weekend, the Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony is a somebody, indeed. And there he was Thursday night, inside a dark nightclub-turned-celeb pool hall, wearing his sunglasses at night, pulling it off like Jack Nicholson.
When Carmelo showed up at our doorstep in 2003, fresh off a national championship in New Orleans, he was pegged a future all-star. This weekend, he was back in New Orleans, an all-star starter for the first time.
An omnipresent spotlight followed Anthony around the Big Easy. Perhaps that’s why he needed the shades.
In Sunday’s game, his spotlight converged with those of the other all-stars, illuminating the court at New Orleans Arena, already shining with stars. Anthony scored 18 points, including a rim-rattling third-quarter dunk, in the Western Conference’s 134-128 loss to the East. Nuggets teammate Allen Iverson, who was starting All-Star Games when Anthony was in social studies, scored seven points with six assists and six turnovers.
“(Anthony) definitely belongs on the team,” Boston forward Kevin Garnett said. “He’s voted in. That says something about that, that the fans appreciate him.
“Melo’s always been aggressive. He’s always been an aggressive scorer. Seems he’s trying to play some defense these days a little bit. He plays with energy and passion. It’s beautiful to see.”
The game was a culmination of a momentous weekend for Denver’s first-time starter, who floated from late-night parties to early-morning practices to community service events to, finally, the court at New Orleans Arena, where he and his fraternity brothers put on a talent show.
“I just took it all in, throughout the whole weekend,” Anthony said. “I just told myself, ‘I’m here now. There ain’t no turning back.’ ”
In the Big Easy, whether he was flanked by his boys or flocking fans, Anthony seemed to float around All-Star Weekend like he belonged.
Sometimes, he looked boyish, flashing his famous smile, playfully joking with his fellow all-stars or his young son, Kiyan. Other times, he looked manly and untouchable, a giant among folks who could never wear sunglasses at night.
At the Thursday night party, sports stars such as Magic Johnson, Reggie Bush, Julius Erving and Chris Paul participated in a pool tournament, filling the corner pocket while star-gazers surrounded. The bass thumped. Champagne flowed. Ladies puckered. Melo carried himself like Fast Eddie Felson, casually making shots and shaking hands with strangers, his boys cautiously watching their prized star.
Three nights later, the world watched Anthony.
When the starters walked onto the court, he exchanged quick hugs with the East starters, including LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, who, like Anthony, were top-five picks in the 2003 NBA draft (Darko Milicic had the night off).
“Yeah, it hit me,” Anthony said. “I realized — I was a starter. It’s just great to be a starter with the greatest players in the world.”
Moments before tipoff, an official bounced Anthony the ball. Anthony cradled it, just for a couple of moments, symbolic of his love of the game, as much as the shades symbolized his love of being Carmelo.
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
