Carmelo Anthony: 'I’m the most underrated superstar' in NBA
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony says he's the most underrated superstar player in the NBA.
Anthony is a seven-time NBA All-Star, the 2012-13 NBA scoring champion and an Olympic gold medalist.
Anthony was asked if he was underrated because he has yet to win an NBA title. The teams he has played on in his 11-year career (Knicks and Denver Nuggets) have only advanced past the conference quarterfinals once in his career.
"I think I'm the most underrated superstar that's out there (laughs) but that doesn't matter to me," Anthony told ESPN.
He continued:
"I know what I'm capable of doing. I know the grind and the hard work I put in to this," Anthony said. "I know how consistent I've been over my career. To do it day in and day out and night in and night out on a very consistent basis year in year out, I know what I can do and I know the work I've put in."
Anthony was second in scoring in the NBA last season, averaging 27.4 points a game. He also set career-highs in rebounding and minutes played per game.
He hit the free agent market in the offseason and was courted by the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks, but he ultimately re-signed with New York, inking a five-year, $124 million contract.
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"So as far as caring about if I'm underrated as a superstar, and getting the respect I deserve, I don't worry about that. In due time if everything goes well, I will get it," Anthony said.
The Knicks missed the playoffs last season, leading to the team to hire former NBA coach Phil Jackson as the team’s president and former NBA player Derek Fisher as its head coach.
The Knicks begin the regular season at Oct. 29 against the Bulls. They play LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road the next night.
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