DENVER — Denver Nuggets legend Carmelo Anthony is stirring up controversy again with the team that drafted him, this time over his number 15 jersey.
On Anthony's podcast "7PM in Brooklyn," Anthony's co-host The Kid Mero asked Anthony about his feelings about Nikola Jokic wearing his former number.
"You had to feel a way when they gave Jokic that 15?" The Kid Mero asked. "Because that's 'Melo.'"
"Hell yeah," Anthony replied before agreeing with the next question that it was a "petty maneuver."
"It wasn't like, 'You've got numbers to choose from,'" Anthony said. "It's like, 'Here, you got 15.' And ya'll put Jokic in the middle of that."
Anthony then went on to speculate that Jokic could've worn 15 as an "homage" to him, but he believes the Nuggets had more sinister motives.
"What I believe is that they gave him 15 to erase what I did," Anthony said.
Many on social media pointed out some issues in Anthony's argument.
First, before Jokic was drafted by the Nuggets, forward Anthony Rudolph wore number 15 for two seasons after signing from the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he also wore 15.
Second, Jokic has worn 15 since his youth basketball days in Serbia, well before he was drafted by the Nuggets.
Both suggest that the Nuggets simply provided the number when requested instead of attempting to minimize Anthony's history with the team.
However, others did support the idea that the Nuggets should not have reissued Anthony's number.
The Nuggets have retired six numbers to honor players in their 57-year history:
- 2 - Alex English (1980-1990)
- 12 - Fat Lever (1984-1990)
- 33 - David Thompson (1975-1982)
- 40 - Byron Beck (1967-1977)
- 44 - Dan Issel (1975-1985)
- 55 - Dikembe Mutombo (1991-1996)
In addition, the number 432 was retired in honor of former head coach Doug Moe's career wins with the Nuggets between 1980 and 1990.
Anthony was drafted 3rd overall by the Nuggets in 2003 and played eight seasons in Denver until he was traded to the New York Knicks in 2010.
He avenged 24.8 points per game during his Nuggets career, good for fourth in franchise history, along with 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks per game.
Anthony ranks in the top ten of multiple team categories including the following, according to Basketball Reference:
- 13,970 points scored (3rd in franchise history)
- 20,521 minutes played (3rd)
- 3,582 free throws made (3rd)
- 4,989 field goals made (4th)
- 564 games played (7th)
- 634 steals (8th)
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