Carmelo Anthony made his stance clear when asked whether the New York Knicks should retire his No. 7 jersey.
“Why not?” the 10-time All-Star said on Saturday at the Alamodome, where he was officially announced as part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024, according to New York Post.
Anthony spent seven seasons in New York, where he averaged 24.7 points per game and made six All-Star appearances during that stretch.
Speaking to reporters during the Final Four festivities, the former scoring champion said he would “love to see that jersey hung up.”
“For me, it’s like, ‘Why wait?’” Anthony said. “If you got to think about it then cool, just let it be.”
The 40-year-old last played for the Knicks in the 2016-17 season but remains a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden.
During his tenure, he led New York to three playoff appearances, including a 54-win season in 2012-13 that remains the franchise’s best record since 1997.
To date, the Knicks have retired the jerseys of eight players and one coach. The list includes legends like Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, and Patrick Ewing.
Notably, Ewing and Dick McGuire are the only players among them who did not win a championship with the franchise.
That distinction could set a precedent in Anthony’s favor, as he ranks seventh in franchise history in points and helped rejuvenate the team during a difficult era.
Still, the organization has yet to formally announce any plans to honor him in that way.
“I don’t know, man, to be honest with you,” Anthony said. “A lot of surprises are happening right now around me, so I’m trying to stay in the moment.”
He added that if a jersey retirement were to be one of those surprises, he would be “ecstatic.”
Anthony’s impact in New York went beyond the court, where he often carried the scoring load and represented the franchise at All-Star Weekend year after year.
His arrival via trade from the Denver Nuggets in 2011 brought hope to a fan base that had been without a star since Ewing’s departure.
In 2013, Anthony won the NBA scoring title with 28.7 points per game and led the Knicks to the second round of the playoffs.
Despite not capturing a championship, his presence and performance reenergized a team that had seen little success in the decade prior.
Following his Knicks stint, Anthony played for Oklahoma City, Houston, Portland, and the Lakers before retiring in 2023.
Now, with Hall of Fame status secured, the conversation shifts to whether the franchise will honor him with a permanent place in the rafters.
