Carmelo Anthony just couldn’t escape this one! Remember that viral photo where he looked like he’d “risk it all” for Rihanna? It’s been a meme-favorite since it surfaced in 2014 after the Knicks star attended the Met Gala afterparty with then-wife LaLa Anthony. Over a decade later, Melo’s finally spilling the tea on what really went down.

Speaking on his 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, Melo’s co-host Rudy Gay couldn’t help but bring it up. “I have never seen you look like that, bro. What’s going on?” Gay teased, setting up the moment every fan was waiting for. Melo didn’t shy away from the question and jumped right into storytime.

“I must tell you the real story,” he began, detailing the chaotic scene inside the 2014 Met Gala afterparty. “It was after the Met. We go in there, already having a good time. Every time people come in there, a celebrity comes in, the cameras go crazy. It’s small in that area so you see all the flashes. It’s a commotion when you walk in there.”

Then came the moment everyone remembers. “I finally walk in, get through the cameras, and sit down. Now I found my comfort zone. Ri walks in, cameras go crazy. There is only one area to go to, and I’m like, ‘Please don’t come over here.’ The flashes go, so I put my head down and I look up, and she’s right there posing.”

While Melo even reenacted his now-iconic expression to sell his point, fans weren’t convinced. Comments flooded in, accusing him of leaving out details.

Fans aren’t buying Melo’s story

As soon as the clip of Carmelo Anthony explaining his viral Rihanna photo bomb started making the rounds, fans quickly called him out. Many didn’t believe his story at all. One fan joked, “Tell the real story, Melo 🤫😂,” while another grinned, “He lying 🤥 a little.”

And can you blame them? Back in 2014, when the photo first went viral, the internet ran with the narrative that Melo would “risk it all for Rihanna.” That moment is still unforgettable for basketball and pop culture fans alike.

To make things even better—or worse—rapper J. Cole joined in on the fun back then, roasting Melo with a slick reference in his lyrics. A fan brought it back in the comments, writing, “The same way that Melo was starin’ at Rih is the way that I stare at the money – J. Cole.” If your memes make it into a J. Cole verse, it’s officially a classic. No wonder fans haven’t let Melo live it down, even almost a decade later.

But this isn’t Melo’s only run-in with being caught red-handed. Back in 2014, during a game between the New York Knicks and the Memphis Grizzlies, cameras caught him doing a double-take at a woman in the audience. He even turned his head for a second look as he walked away. That incident also made headlines.

Maybe that’s why fans still aren’t convinced. One person summed it up perfectly, “Nobody believes that story Melo! 😂😂😂😂.” Another joked, “You had 10 years to work on that story, that’s the best one? Lolol.”

At the time, Carmelo Anthony attended the gala with his then-wife LaLa Anthony. Now, years after their separation, both keep their private lives under wraps, focusing on co-parenting their son Kiyan, who is gearing up to follow in Melo’s Syracuse footsteps. Still, fans seem to love trolling Melo for his “classic” moments as much as he loves playing it cool.