Carmelo Anthony Had Perfect Answer on Nuggets Retiring No. 15 for Him or Nikola Jokic

Melo has a solution for whose jersey should go in Denver's rafters.
Anthony and Jokic both wore No. 15 during their time in Denver.
Anthony and Jokic both wore No. 15 during their time in Denver. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
In this story:

Longtime NBA forward Carmelo Anthony was informed this week that he's been inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. A 10-time All-Star and the league's ninth all-time leading scorer, Anthony was a fan-favorite across the NBA—and more specifically in Denver, where he played from 2003 to '11.

His No. 15 Nuggets jersey flew off the shelves in the early 2000s and was synonymous with his run in the Mile High City. Four years after his departure, however, the team re-issued the digits to Nikola Jokic who has put together quite the legacy of his own, including three MVP awards and an NBA Finals win in 2023.

So when it's all said and done, which No. 15 jersey should go in the rafters at Ball Arena? ESPN asked the question on Instagram on Thursday:

Anthony himself weighed in in the debate, and relayed a perfect—and NSFW—response:

Carmelo weighs in.
Screenshot via @ESPN on Instagram

"F--- it, put both up lol," he wrote.

"Two different type of players. No comparisons only respect," Anthony continued. "Put his number up there. It should never be a comparison. We don't even have the same play style. I had my time and era, he had his."

A very measured response for the soon-to-be first ballot Hall of Famer.

With Jokic only 30 years old and seemingly plenty of runway ahead of him, it may be a while before the Nuggets have to make a decision on the jersey retirement. We'll wait and see how it plays out.


More NBA on Sports Illustrated

feed


Published
Mike Kadlick
MIKE KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.