Chauncey Billups on if Detroit had drafted Carmelo Anthony: 'LeBron would have left Cleveland a lot earlier'

ClutchPoints: “Imagine me at 23 years old… being the 4th option on a team when I’m leading [the Nuggets] every single year… I don’t know mentally how I was gonna be ready for that.” Carmelo Anthony on not teaming up with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on the Heat. pic.twitter.com/MlyHi6O7gx -via Twitter @ClutchPointsApp / July 22, 2024

Dwyane Wade of course won three championships with the franchise over the course of his Hall of Fame career, but recently, he stopped by good friend Carmel0 Anthony’s 7PM In Brooklyn podcast to break down why the most enjoyable season of his career was actually the first. “My rookie year, there wasn’t any expectations,” said Wade, via 7pm In Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony on YouTube. “We were just hooping, we were terrible. We started 0 – 7, we were terrible. So roll the ball out, let’s just go have fun, right. You’re making a name for yourself, you’re living your dream out for the first time, the road trips are new, going to these hotels was exciting. The first year for me was the funnest year I played in the NBA, then I got Shaq in my second year and it became business. Quickly, you got to win now, it changed everything for me. I didn’t get five years to be a young guy, I had to get right to it, right away. So my first year when it was Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, Eddie Jones, and we made a run and being in the playoffs and all that, we were just out here having fun.” -via Clutch Points / July 18, 2024

Carmelo Anthony was amused at his son’s lack of faith in their odds, taking to social media to call Kiyan out. “I’m going to remember this,” Carmelo wrote. When asked if Kiyan would convince Carmelo to come out of retirement and team up with him if he gets drafted himself one day, Kiyan indicated he has been working on it. “I’m going to try. I’ve been trying.” -via ESPN / July 9, 2024

Ben Golliver: Lakers’ LeBron James scored 11 of his game-high 20 points in the final 4 minutes of the fourth quarter to help USA Basketball stave off Germany, 92-88. – USA Basketball enters Paris Olympics with 5-0 exhibition record despite close calls against Australia, South Sudan & Germany. -via Twitter @BenGolliver / July 22, 2024

USA Basketball: Fit to lead 👑 The moment LeBron James found out he will be the first 🇺🇸 #USABMNT athlete to serve as a @TeamUSA Flag Bearer. -via Twitter / July 22, 2024