Carmelo Anthony is headed to the Hall of Fame — and he deserves every bit of that recognition
BY Jon Powell / 4.2.2025
Carmelo Anthony is officially a Hall of Famer — and for anyone who’s followed his basketball journey, the honor feels well-deserved. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 as a first-ballot inductee.
Drafted third overall in 2003 behind LeBron James and ahead of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, Anthony quickly became one of the league’s top scorers. Over eight seasons with the Denver Nuggets, he averaged 24.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists, leading the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2009. He later became the face of the New York Knicks, where he led the NBA in scoring in 2013 and averaged nearly 25 points per game across seven seasons.
Why Carmelo Anthony and his NBA Stats prove Hall of Fame worthiness
Over his 19-year career, Melo also played for the Thunder, Rockets, Trail Blazers and Lakers. He finished with career averages of 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three. His 28,289 points place him 10th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Beyond the numbers, Anthony was a six-time All-NBA selection, made 10 All-Star appearances and earned a spot on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. Though he never won an NBA title, his scoring ability, consistency and longevity made him one of the most respected players of his generation.
Long-time friend James reacted with excitement on social media after the news broke. The two briefly played together during Anthony’s final season in 2021-2022.
From a Syracuse championship to Olympic gold: Carmelo Anthony’s global impact
Before the NBA, Anthony led Syracuse to its first-ever NCAA national title in 2003. He averaged impressive numbers as a freshman and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player — delivering one of the most iconic one-and-done seasons in college basketball history.
Internationally, ESPN called him “the most decorated American men’s Olympic basketball player of all time.” After earning bronze in 2004, Melo helped Team USA win gold in 2008, 2012 and 2016. His leadership and scoring on the global stage helped reshape the U.S. men’s basketball program. The 2008 “Redeem Team” — where he starred alongside LeBron, Kobe Bryant and others — is also a finalist for Hall of Fame induction, meaning Anthony could be honored twice this year.
“For me, that's it. There's nothing else in basketball I can do,” Anthony said on his podcast. “That's the pinnacle, that's the door... I'm going to embrace this. I'm enjoying this."
Carmelo Anthony didn’t just play basketball — he helped define it for a generation. His Hall of Fame induction is more than a personal milestone. It’s a celebration of a career that impacted the game at every level.