Getty Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony is officially a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Million Dollar Question: Will he wear number 7?
The number isn’t retired, but it is sacred in Rip City.
Do you think the Blazers should allow Carmelo Anthony to wear no. 7?
Brandon Roy wore that number.
For those keeping score at home: Before Damian Lillard became the face of Blazers basketball, Brandon Roy WAS Blazers basketball.
Roy was the sixth overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft out of the University of Washington and the Blazers aacquired the Seattle, Washington native in a draft-night trade day swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves for Randy Foye.
Roy was a four-year starter at the University of Washington. During his senior help he led the Huskies to a Sweet Sixteen appearance.
The NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2007, Roy was extremely talented. He was selected to three NBA All-Star teams in his first four seasons.
He averaged 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists during his career. was forced to retire from basketball in 2011 because of degenerative arthritis in his knee.
Roy represented the cream of the crop of talent that came out of Seattle, Washington. Other notable NBA-level basketball talent includes: NBA free agent, Jamal Crawford, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, San Antonio Spurs guard DeJounte Murray, New York Knicks guard Allonzo Trier, Washington Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas, Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley and Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams.
NBA Champion, Jason Terry and former NBA Slam Dunk Champion Nate Robinson also hail from Seattle.
Jamal Crawford thinks the world of Roy.
“He was so unassuming with his game,” Jamal Crawford told Heavy.com contributor Landon Buford last season.
“You didn’t think he had this or that, and really, he had no weaknesses.”
“He was the most NBA ready out of any of us that came out of the city,” Avery Bradley also told Buford.
“If it wasn’t for leg injuries, there is no telling what he could have accomplished.”
Meanwhile back at the ranch: Carmelo Anthony is expected to play with the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday evening.
Anthony signed a non-guaranteed deal with Portland which will reportedly pay him $14,490 for each day he is on the Blazers’ roster.
Carmelo Anthony just told me he wants to return 2000% wants to see @JCrossover play and is pleased with Derrick Rose’s play.
The deal will become fully guaranteed on Jan. 7 if he’s still on the roster.
What complicates things is in fact that Melo has been wearing number 7 for years. He began wearing it in New York with the Knicks. The wearing of that number carried over to stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets.
Before wearing number 7 with those other teams, Anthony, the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, wore number 15.
Taking a cursory look at the Blazers’ website, #15 was worn by Larry Steele and that number has been retired. For those keeping score at home: Steele was a member of the the Portland Trail Blazers 1977 Championship team.
Whatever the outcome is, Melo is ready to get this party started.
A couple of weeks ago he told me would be playing in the NBA this season. “2000 percent,” he said.
“Put that in the headline.”
Anthony has career averages of 24 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3 assists. He’s looking for a fresh start with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum in Rip City.
“It will only work if all parties see it the same way,” via a video posted on his YouTube channel.
“What happened before is the past, I can’t dwell on that, I learn from that.”