In the realm of trash-talk on the basketball court, there are few who can rival the sublime talents of Michael Jordan. The six-time NBA champion is renowned for his ability to deliver a biting insult with lightning speed, and he is not afraid to dish out the same treatment to his friends. One such friend is Carmelo Anthony, a 21-year veteran of the sport who was linked a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Their friendship spans almost two decades, as Jordan signed Anthony as his first signature athlete under the esteemed Jordan Brand after retiring in 2003.

The dynamic friendship between Michael Jordan and Carmelo Anthony

Despite their long standing camaraderie, Anthony is not immune to Jordan’s quick wit and repartee. Anthony in 2021 divulged some of the barbs that he had hurled at Jordan, including labeling him as “too small” and claiming that he would have run rings around him during a game.

According to an article in sports casting, Jordan possesses a one-size-fits-all response to any argument with Carmelo: his glittering collection of championship rings. As Anthony noted, “That’s his defense mechanism. He simply waves his rings around. C’mon, Mike.” It is a defense that is nigh on unassailable, for Jordan’s six championship rings are an glorious testament to his prodigious talents and preeminence on the court. Despite his diminutive size, he towered above his peers and cemented his status as the greatest basketball player in history.

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Regardless of whether Anthony ever equals Jordan’s ring count, their bond of amity and the attendant jocularity will undoubtedly endure for many years to come. And while Anthony may occasionally land a sly verbal barb on his friend, he is aware that he cannot dispute with a man who knows everything there is to know about winning.

Carmelo’s quest for championship glory with the lakers

On the other hand, Anthony wasn’t able to hoist even a single championship ring up in his storied 20-year career. He has come agonizingly close on a few occasions, reaching the conference finals once and the Eastern Conference semifinals once, but he has never been able to scale the summit and emerge triumphant. 

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This is something he was eager to amend with the Lakers, as he joined a roster that is brimming with stardom, featuring the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook.