Carmelo Anthony agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency this year after a very successful two-year stint with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The fallout from Anthony’s decision has been interesting. Between Damian Lillard’s savage 4-word reaction to Anthony’s departure and Anthony’s subsequent comments on his relationship with Lillard, it’s clear that the determination to leave for LA wasn’t an easy one.
That said, Anthony made it anyway – and a big reason why he made is because of what the Lakers stand for.
This week, the 37-year-old went into detail about how being a Laker was different than playing for other teams.
“I try to think about it, I try to process it, I know what it means to wear purple and gold just from the history of the game and just following and competing against it and really understanding the true essence of what it means to be a Laker,” Anthony said in an interview with Spectrum Sportsnet.
“… But never have I thought that I would be wearing purple and gold. Especially at this point in time of my career, but hey, everything happens for a reason, and I believe that.”
Trey Lance’s GF knows how to make a first impression. https://t.co/V8FvncNUNp
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 23, 2021
Anthony spent the first eight years of his career with the Denver Nuggets. He was then traded to the New York Knicks (a relationship that ended very badly), with whom he spent six years, before bouncing around to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and eventually Portland.
If anyone can speak to the difference between playing for various teams, it’s Anthony. So if he says being a Laker is different — it’s different.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
