Olympic basketball has gotten so much better, according to Melo.
The entire world is enraptured by the Olympic Games in Paris, and so are Evan Turner and Andre Iguodala of The Point Forward Podcast. This week the hosts dived into discussing what it’s like playing basketball for Team USA, and nobody is more knowledgeable on the topic than four-time medalist Carmelo Anthony.
Among the long list of accomplishments over Anthony’s career it’s his resolute support for the United States that stands out. Melo kept competing at a time where many superstars were skipping the Olympics to focus on their NBA teams, and that led to him winning three gold medals in 2008, 2012, and 2016 — as well as a bronze during his national team debut in 2004. Anthony is also the all-time leading scorer in Team USA history, has the record for most games played, and most rebounds.
Over those 20 years the sport has changed a lot.
“It was so … I don’t wanna say easy, but it was so easy! […] It was so easy for me. I’m like “I got slow-ass footing, I got heavy legs, and I got f***ing CP3, Jason Kidd. I got Bron on this wing, Kobe on this wing — I got D-Wade coming off the bench. I got KD over here. I got Dwight Howard in the paint. I got Chris Bosh.”
Watch Anthony’s full interview on Point Forward here:
In many ways Anthony’s NBA career is defined by never having that second and third guy. Teams tried to form super-teams with Anthony as the centerpiece, but it never materialized the same was it did for LeBron James in Miami and Cleveland. However, at the Olympic games he had a chance to be in a position where he wasn’t the focal point on every possession, and could really slow down and play a role.
When it comes to the popularity and business of basketball Melo sees the 2024 Paris team as being on-par with the 1992 Barcelona Dream Team. That legendary team might have had more name recognition on a per-player basis, but it came at a time before basketball truly became a global game.
“The international game has grown,” Melo says. “International players damn-ass taking over the league. So now we gotta put our Avengers together to take on these other countries.”
The biggest difference that Anthony sees insofar as the global influence on basketball isn’t simply that the talent level has lifted, but the familiarity. In the past countries might be lucky to have one NBA player on their roster who had experience playing against the USA. Now every roster is full of talent with NBA experience, all of whom know the game, tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses of the United States’ best. It’s removed the shock factor from Team USA, and they can’t simply bank on running teams off the court anymore.
One of the biggest points of scrutiny when it came to selecting Team USA for Paris was the late inclusion of Derrick White, who got the nod over his teammate Jaylen Brown. While Anthony didn’t specifically mention the White over Brown decision, he did highlight how a key characteristic of a successful Olympic team is having a humble vet, a “glue guy” as he calls them — who don’t crave minutes, or a desire for moments, but instead understands the role of coming in for a few minutes, playing some defense, and giving the rotation a rest.
In 2008 these roles were filled by Michael Redd and Tayshaun Prince. In 2012 it was Andre Iguodala’s, and in 2016 Harrison Barnes was tha guy. This might explain to some extent why Team USA chose a defensive guy like White, over a ball-dominant player like Brown.
One of the biggest disconnects for basketball fans is understanding how Team USA can struggle against anyone considering the lock the country has had on global basketball since the sport’s inception. For Anthony it’s about how the Olympic game is an entirely different brand of ball, siloed off from the NBA — and the need to find a new way to play in the games.
“USA basketball … that s*** is fun. It kinda easy in the sense that I didn’t have to be Denver Nugget Melo. I don’t have to be Knicks Melo. I can be USA Melo. I’m just gonna be a spot-up sharpshooter, run the lane, but I always wanted to challenge myself. […] I always wanted to bring something else to the team, so I said “I’m going after Charles Barkley’s [rebounding] record,” and it made the game fun for me.”
When it comes to the best Olympic team he played on, Anthony has a clear answer: “‘08, imma go with 08.” That was the phenomenal Beijing team that was a literal who’s-who of modern basketball. Kobe Bryant was the captain, LeBron, Melo, Wade and Bosh were all in their prime. Dwight Howard was at his peak as a force in the middle.
It’s not a stretch to say that Team USA had been lacking prior to Paris. The 2020 team still won gold, and had some phenomenal talent — but guys the likes of Jerami Grant, Keldon Johnson and JaVale McGee made the roster with so many players skipping to focus on the NBA. Now in Paris Team USA is ready to make a statement, but it’s not going to be easy. The game is global now, and while the talent the United States is vastly above previous years, so is the pressure to perform against a much deeper international pool.
