RIO DE JANEIRO – Carmelo Anthony, American basketball hero.
Putting hero and Melo in the same sentence might be enough to make some sports fans in Denver gag.
But shouldn’t any American with a heart that beats red, white and blue be able to appreciate what Anthony has done for his country? After Team USA beat Spain, 82-76, here Friday in the semifinals of the Olympic tournament, Melo is on the verge of winning a third gold medal.
“We don’t want to leave with nothing less than a gold medal,” said Anthony, whose name remains dirt to Coloradans who believe he quit on the Nuggets by forcing a trade to the New York Knicks in 2011.
Anthony contributed seven points and five rebounds in 25 minutes as Team USA’s starting power forward.
The USA could never quite force surrender from Spain, which was led by the 23 points of NBA veteran Pau Gasol. But an American squad that frankly looked very beatable during games against Australia, France and Serbia earlier in the tournament, never trailed in a semifinal contest against the world’s second-best international team.
With 16 rebounds and four blocks, DeAndre Jordan dominated the paint. Any threat from Spain was quickly quelled with a 3-point shot by Klay Thompson, who finished with a team-high 22 points.
While in the employ of the Nuggets, Anthony began his Olympic career in 2004, and was bitterly disappointed with a bronze medal, resulting from the last time the USA national team has lost a game.
He has returned to the Games three more times, and with LeBron James skipping this trip after an arduous run to the NBA title, Anthony qualifies as the elder statesman of the team at age 32. More than his scoring ability, what Melo thinks he offers now to teammates is, “perspective, not taking anything for granted.”
And taking home the gold never grows old. “It would mean a lot,” said Anthony, whose appreciation for the Olympic experience grows with each passing year.
During his visit to Brazil, Anthony has toured a favela. Why? He was inspired by repeated viewings of “City of God,” a movie that detailed life in Rio’s infamous shanty towns. The visit reminded him of the tough Baltimore neighborhood Melo survived as a child.
“I enjoyed doing it. I enjoy giving back. I enjoy going to see those places. … I just wanted to check it out,” he said.
Carmelo Anthony, American basketball statesman.
Deal with it.
