The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame honored the 2008 Team USA that won the gold in the Olympics, suggesting that it is one of the best team ever put up in history. Does this mean anybody from it should be included in anyone’s All-Time Starting 5? Not for Carmelo Anthony who is also part of that team.
The former Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks star is on some sort of tour after he was inducted twice in in the HoF this 2025, first as a Team USA member and second for stellar career both in college and the NBA.
He was asked about his All-Time Starting 5 and he had interesting choices.
What would be this team’s record if they got to play an entire year together in their prime? @carmeloanthony pic.twitter.com/BBxpWr10hy
— Fanatics (@Fanatics) September 6, 2025
The guys he named are Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett, and Shaquille O’Neal. Of the five, he only became teammates with Iverson and Rose.
With the exception of McGrady, all these players just won MVP award each in their career.
Carmelo Anthony’s unique Starting 5
This is an interesting choice for Melo as he did not select anyone from his 2003 draft batch that includes Lebron James and Dwyane Wade. He also did not pick any usual names in GOAT conversations like Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kobe Bryant, and Magic Johnson.
Magic fans are probably the happiest with his list as it included two of their former players in McGrady and Shaquille O’Neal.
As for Iverson, he holds him in high regard, having played with him for around two seasons after his legendary career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“When AI came in, it took it to a whole nother level because now it’s like he got his own world going on coming into Denver, and now this is mine,” Anthony said in his own podcast.
“Like, AI, this is mine. I told him that I need him because I’m tired of this sh*t by myself, and he understood the assignment.”
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