Carmelo Anthony has called an end to his NBA career.
After a legendary career that spanned 19 seasons, the superstar baller announced his retirement from the NBA today. Anthony, the No. 3 pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 2003 NBA Draft, announced his departure from the league today in a touching video on his social media channels set to the soundtrack of Ghostface Killah and Mary J. Blige’s “All That I Got Is You.”
In the announcement, the hooper sent a warm message to his son, Kiyan. “My legacy, my son, is in you,” the NBA great said. “I will forever continue through you because the time has come for you to carry this torch.”
The baller — who played for the Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers — retires as a 10-time NBA All-Star and is ninth on the league’s all-time scoring list. Also, he was named in 2021 as a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which commemorates the greatest players in league history.
Aside from his NBA accolades, Anthony has an outstanding Olympic resume, which includes three gold medals and one bronze as a member of Team USA. Prior to entering the NBA, Anthony won a NCAA championship at Syracuse in 2023, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
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Anthony is a longtime Jordan Brand ambassador, and has 13 acclaimed signature shoes with the brand. He’s been with Jordan Brand since 2003, and according to Sportico, made an estimated $145 million from endorsements, led by the Nike-backed label. His signed a deal right out of college, according to Sportico, which was worth $3 million per year.
On the court, Anthony earned $262.5 million during his NBA career, according to online sports team and player contract resource Spotrac.
In November 2018, Anthony appeared on the cover of FN, two months after revealing his first capsule collection, dubbed “Melo Made,” which he showed immediately following New York Fashion Week. The presentation featured a compelling lineup of footwear, apparel and accessories in conjunction with handpicked leading menswear brands including Goorin Brothers, Rochambeau and Famous Nobodys. But the most discussed piece from “Melo Made” was an Air Jordan 20, executed in collaboration with Rag & Bone.
While fashion was discussed, Anthony — a vocal advocate of social justice — also addressed contentious political topics of the moment. To longtime fans of Anthony, this was no surprise. His father, Carmelo Iriate, was a member of the Puerto Rican social justice group Young Lords, and Anthony also became a leader during his illustrious on-court career. At the time, Anthony also said his toughest discussions don’t take place in front of the masses; they occur at home with Kiyan, who was then 11 years old.
“With what’s going on with society, you’re forced to have conversations you don’t want to have — what’s going on in our country, what’s going on with our president [Donald Trump], why was this person shot and killed,” Anthony told FN in November 2018. “My son is 11 years old, and I’ve got to answer those questions, because if I don’t, then he can get [answers] from somebody else, and who’s to say they are going to give him the right information?”
In November 2022, Anthony was the presenter of the FNAA Brand of the Year Award to Jordan Brand. “I’ve been part of the Jordan Brand family for 20 years, I’ve seen it go from here to here,” Anthony said, making a gesture with his hands to signify the company’s growth. “I’ve had the honor to work with teams over the years, being able to collaborate and design and really get the chance to understand the message behind what we do at Jordan Brand.”
