Carmelo Anthony Opens Up on His Favorite Nuggets Teammates

The Nuggets' former All-Star had fond memories with a handful of teammates in Denver.

Feb 7, 2011; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets small forward Carmelo Anthony (15) reacts with 5.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at the Pepsi Center. The Rockets defeated the Nuggets 108-103. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In the years following the tumultuous and infamous split between the Denver Nuggets and Carmelo Anthony in 2011, tensions have gradually begun to ease up a little for both sides, where there now seems to be at least some mutual respect between each.

After all, Anthony had some of his best years with the Nuggets throughout what would end up as a Hall of Fame career upon his induction in 2025.

And throughout his eight-year stretch in Denver, he even seemed to play with a few of his favorite teammates across his near-two decades in the NBA in the process.

Anthony recently spoke with DJ Siddiqi of Casino.ca about his best teammates that he played with throughout his 19-year career, where he highlighted several fan favorites as some of his own favorites to play with, such as J.R. Smith and Allen Iverson.

"Guys that were with me for years, like J.R. Smith, the Kenyon Martins, Marcus Camby. Andre Miller was a really good teammate. The guys who were in Denver, we all had a really good relationship, really good vibe, because we grew together," Anthony said.

"AI was one of my favorite teammates. Chauncey Billups was one of my favorite teammates."

Anthony Calls His Time in Denver "Fun Basketball"

It was those teammates that helped guide Anthony through eight years in Denver to some impressive heights.

That consisted of an eventual four All-Star selections, four All-NBA appearances, and their 2009 Western Conference Finals run before ultimately being stopped right at the gate of the NBA Finals by the LA Lakers; a few of the biggest highlights of his basketball career altogether.

Dec 3, 2010; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets small forward Carmelo Anthony (15) dribbles up court in the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Even with the rough ending in Denver, between his friction with the front office and head coach George Karl, combining with never being able to get over the hump in the Western Conference, it's certainly not an indictment on those on the floor alongside him. He's got fond memories and relationships with several of the names on those Nuggets rosters with him.

In fact, Anthony calls his time with Denver alongside his batch of insightful teammates "fun basketball," considering it would be the likes of Camby, Miller, and Martin as the ones to put him on the right track to help lead the Nuggets' franchise to several eventual postseason appearances.

"It was fun basketball, and that's the only way that I knew how to get together and have fun and bring everybody together," Anthony said. "Those guys showed me that, and I learned from the veterans that were doing that."

"I was young, I was following their lead, even though I had the keys to the organization. To say I was following their lead, I would do what I do on the court, and then I would learn from those guys.”

Following a rocky 2010s era where it seemed like Anthony and the Nuggets might never get along after their ugly split and his trade to the New York Knicks, things have turned around in a more positive direction.

The more time that's passed has added more gratitude into the fold as opposed to disappointment in how his tenure ended––which is sure to be a breath of fresh air for Denver fans stuck in the middle of it all.

Sign up for our free Denver Nuggets On SI newsletter, and get breaking Nuggets news delivered to your inbox daily!