He continued by saying “but that doesn’t matter to me”.
Clearly it does Melo, or you wouldn’t have put it out there for public digestion.
“I know what I’m capable of doing. I know the grind and the hard work I put into this. 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. 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.”
Doesn’t this read like a guy who simply doesn’t get it?
Take Melo’s words and translate them into straight forward English, after removing the cloaked sports clichés.
What he’s really saying is – ‘If I continue to put up numbers like this every year, people will eventually say I’m better than LeBron and Durant’. Hey Carmelo, how about “If I help lead my team deep in a playoff run, people may then view me differently – but to this point in my career, I haven’t done that”.
Or how about using that new found financial security to say something a little introspective like “I know I have aspects of my game I can improve on – and I’m working to do that so that there is no doubt that I’m the best in the world”.
His responses read like “I am the best… but you morons don’t realize it”. That is the attitude of a man with a chip on his shoulder, who seems like he’s content with his current effort / production level and refuses to take responsibility for his team’s short comings.
Further evidence of that point comes when Melo was asked why he isn’t usually mentioned in the same breath as Durant and James, and he replied with:
“I know, personally, I’m there. It doesn’t bother me. These (critics) are all people that maybe never accomplish anything, that just sit back and write articles all day long about what they see. They’re kind of living through us out there on the basketball court. I don’t worry about me being put up there. I know night in and night out I’m gonna go out there and put my work in regardless of win loss or draw. I’m still going to go out there and be the best player I can be.”
The shockingly low level of accountability and the fact that he doesn’t publicly admit to any personal areas of opportunity is sad – especially for Knicks fans.
While Melo has shown the ability to score at will, it’s often as the prototypical high volume / ball stopping type scorer. He likes a ton of isos run for himself, and doesn’t look to make his teammates better.
At least, you hope it’s that he hasn’t looked – and not that he’s incapable of making his teammates better.
When Melo got to New York, it was firmly Amar’e Stoudamire’s team. Stat was enjoying a career year. Over 26 points and 9 boards per game. Once Melo was added to the offence, Stat began a long, slow decent into mediocrity.
While injuries have taken their toll on Stoudamire, his trademark enthusiasm and offensive passion simply hasn't been there since Carmelo was acquired.
It has also been brought up many times, that the best ball the Knicks have played since Anthony joined the team was during the month or so that he was out of action in the Winter of 2012 when unknown point guard Jeremy Lin led New York with a frenetic paced, free flowing offence that didn't see the ball stick in anyone's hands.
Last season, Carmelo’s assist numbers ranked him 47th in the NBA among Small Forwards. And his turnover numbers tied for 14th.
Those that say that Melo makes up for those short comings with the 25 plus per game that he drops, should also keep in mind, that last season he ranked 15th in True Shooting % among Small Forwards and 101st overall.
Not exactly mind blowing numbers.
In fact - those numbers are pretty dreadful.
While Carmelo has earned a rep amongst basketball people for being a “better-than-advertised” post defender, his perimeter and help defence is below average at best.
We are all motivated by different things in life - and if this is what Anthony needs to fire himself up and help carry the Knicks to a playoff birth, then all of us here at The Bench wish him the best of luck; but he needs to get the message that being a “superstar” means MORE than averaging 25.7 ppg in the playoffs (which he does) … it means elevating the game of those around you so that you get out of the first round more than twice over 11 seasons.
