Carmelo Anthony And Phil Jackson: A Marriage Made In La La Land
By Eric Snyder
When Two Worlds Collide
The world of Phil Jackson and the world of Carmelo Anthony are galaxies apart in almost every way possible. Jackson was a workhorse NBA player who has never cared for stardom or the shallowness of the modern athlete.
Once his famed triangle offense was perfected, he was paired with Michael Jordan and the rest is NBA history. In Carmelo Anthony’s world, fame and recognition is as important as what happens on the basketball court.
‘Melo saw the Rocky Mountains of Colorado as a prison for his international fame. To Anthony, the world of VH1 and TMZ would expand his brand and fame exponentially once he was in New York. Similarly, his basketball style became one of selfishness and isolationism.
Tabloids and Talking Heads
Under no circumstances should the world of Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony coexist. Yet, in James Dolan’s world the only thing that matters is publicity and ego. The hiring of Jackson came with the expectation he would re-sign Carmelo.
With no previous front-office experience, Jackson gave in to Anthony and inexplicably gave him the now infamous no-trade clause.
This season, the two distant worlds collided with Jackson’s continual public criticism of Carmelo. A now mature Anthony has reacted to Jackson with unexpected grace, calm and thoughtfulness.
Consequently, the Knicks and their fans are once again in the black hole of tabloids and talking heads. Carmelo is at a crossroad in both his personal life and his basketball life. Until he leaves New York, neither he or the Knicks will ever win.