“I never wanted to do a podcast,” Carmelo Anthony has always been upfront about that. From the moment he entered the NBA, he felt the “biased” perspective. If anything, he wanted to distance himself from the broadcast world. But now, two years into retirement, Melo is taking on a new role as the NBA returns to NBC. And there’s one man he credits for making it happen.

After years of frustrating coverage, Melo admitted that resentment lingered. He recounted having to work “10 times harder” than others just to get noticed. While he had buried the frustration deep inside, the feeling of discontent is still present. He argued on the fluctuations in rankings and much more. But despite that, Melo has continued to study the game deeply and thoughtfully.

Melo’s gripe wasn’t the game—it was the endless ‘hot takes’ that missed the ‘why’ behind every play. Has he done anything to change that? Now, in retirement, he may have the opportunity to make an even bigger impact. Enter Kevin Durant—during their 2024 Paris Olympic run, he challenged Melo to channel that frustration into expertise, possibly around the same time Melo was weighing NBC’s offer.

Durant’s simple reminder—‘You put in the work’—echoed with Melo for weeks. Melo had been adamant about turning down any analyst roles. “I’m getting away from this s—. I ain’t about to sit on this desk. I don’t want nothing to do with that basketball s—,” Melo said on 7 PM in Brooklyn.But as the veteran star reminded him of all the time, sacrifice, and effort he had poured into the game, it changed his mindset. Melo began to feel the urge to return to contribute in a new way.

“And he like, what? Man, you put too much time in it working…I went back home. I was like, damn, what? Nah, I can’t give it … .Now the conversations is easier. I put the work in. I study the game. You know, I know all situations. It ain’t nothing in the game that’s going to happen that we haven’t seen before,” Melo added.

He recalled that it wasn’t just Durant, other players during the Olympics also encouraged him to reconsider. That was the moment everything changed. Before taking his new role, Melo will get inducted into the Hall of Fame class this year. During the announcements, he once again offered a fresh perspective on the media.

Did Carmelo Anthony reconcile with the media? 

While his love for the sport and his fellow players kept him going, the former New York Knicks player found peace in the love he received from the people. However, he argues that analysts peddled ‘lazy narratives’ without context.

When Carmelo Anthony addressed reporters at the Final Four in San Antonio on April 5—just hours after his Hall of Fame induction was announced alongside Dwight Howard and Sue Bird—he struck an unexpectedly gracious tone. “You guys kept me sharp too to understand how to stay ahead of you guys and what you guys was going to ask me. So thank you guys. You guys played a major part in my career as well. So thank you,” Melo said.

Although he appreciated the media’s questions, it appears that his issues with them are still the same. In the same segment, he remarked that criticism from the media often comes without proper narratives. He believes that the game was being unfairly criticized. He took issue with what he called “lazy narratives” and the absence of context. 

These issues existed even during his playing days. He hopes to bring more thoughtful analysis to the forefront. He had already launched his podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn, to explore the game and players’ psychology. Now, he’ll bring that same passion and insight to his new role as an analyst for NBC. As he steps into a new role, will he be able to make the changes he wishes to see?