“I’ve been cheered, criticized. They called me a scorer who couldn’t win. They said I was too loyal. Then they said I wasn’t loyal enough.” During his emotional Hall of Fame speech, Carmelo Anthony couldn’t have summed up his career in a better way. He gave his blood, sweat, and tears during his 19-year NBA career; obviously championship is a big miss. Despite this, he reached the pinnacle of success after his enshrinement in the HOF.

So, even today, when critics question his career choice, the 10x All-Star remains firm on his answer. “No regrets!! Respec7 🫡“. This was the comment on NBA Insider Howard Beck’s statement about Melo. “You look at where he ranks all time in scoring and then you start looking around him and you go like wow, he only won three playoff series in his career and the guys… Never made the finals as we know, only won conference finals, never won MVP… but a lot of Hall of Famers have complicated or maybe incomplete resumes, right? It’s not Hall of Perfection…”

No MVP title or postseason success is true. But what is also true is that in each of his seven full seasons in Denver, the Nuggets made the playoffs, won a pair of division titles, and reached the 2009 Western Conference Finals. Just one scoring title also doesn’t justify his full story. From his rookie season at the age of 19 till his time with the Knicks when he was 32, he never averaged less than 20 points in a season. Being a multiple-level scorer also helped him become the 10th-best points scorer of all time in the league. Lack of effort? Clearly not.

But Beck also stated that there are some “regrettable” decisions from Carmelo Anthony that did not end as the Knicks legend envisioned. “Like there are ways he could have done this that. Maybe would have put him in a better position to go further in the playoffs or to contend for titles…” One such instance could be joining the Big3 was an option for the Knicks legend, but he never wanted to be the 4th option. So, one can imagine that being alongside LeBron and Dwyane Wade would have surely gotten him titles.

“But, you know, to quote one of Carmelo’s favorite phrases back from during his next time, ‘it is what it is’. He made the choices he made. He had an incredible career. It didn’t land in all the places that you hope when you first arrive in the NBA as a star of his caliber. But again, a lot of guys who are all time greats, you know, have some of those same absences on their resume. ”

Whatever road Melo took and whatever the result is today, for not one second does he regret those decisions. That’s why the 3-word comment with no rage or hate.

Carmelo Anthony on why he did not pay any heed to any critics

From the Red Hook projects in Brooklyn to the spotlight of Madison Square Garden, his journey has long been defined by more than just points and highlights. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Baltimore’s tough housing projects from the age of eight, Melo grew up surrounded by violence, d—-, and poverty. He used those negative surroundings and learn the key skills of survival, grit, and adaptability. Basketball became a calling, and soon he led the Syracuse program to its only championship.

Melo said it best on the Hall of Fame stage: “My why was bigger than me. My why was every kid in the hood who ever thought greatness wasn’t for them. My why was my son, who would watch and would see if his father would fold or fight.” He celebrated the highs, acknowledged the challenges, and opened up about the struggles the game—and the world—often overlooks. “They never saw the lonely nights, the aching knees, the silent battles. But I kept going. I kept shooting and I kept believing, not because I had all the answers, but because I had a why.”

Performing for the team when the lights were bright, Melo did that. With no star-studded roster around, he never quit to show his kids what kind of role he is. That’s why championship or individual accolades don’t define his career. That’s why the tag of Hall of Famer is a nice fit for Anthony.