Former NBA scoring champion and 10x All-Star Carmelo Anthony is poised to return to the NBA in the near future after retiring as a player over a year ago. While his playing days are in the rearview mirror, his talking days might be ahead, as Anthony is in the running to take on a role in the broadcast booth.
10x All-Star Carmelo Anthony Taking Talents to New Ventures
Former Knicks and Nuggets All-Star Carmelo Anthony Could Be on TV Next Year
One of the most prolific offensive players the league has ever seen appears not long for an NBA return. According to Front Office Sports, Anthony is reportedly in the running for opportunities at NBC and Prime. He would play the part of an analyst. Additionally, ESPN might also have a chance at Anthony. He has not played a game in the NBA since 2022, which happened as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony only officially retired in May of 2023. Since then, he has taken to the podcast world as many former and current athletes do nowadays. In doing so, he has shown the makings of a quality basketball voice. His podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony, follows a guest rotation of other NBA stars, current and former, as well as hip-hop artists and many other public figures in or outside of sports.
Following Footsteps
Carmelo isn’t the only recently retired NBA veteran to go after some air time. Dwyane Wade, who has been retired since 2019, had the spotlight on him during this summer’s Paris Olympics, covering Olympic basketball, primarily Team USA matchups. Wade shared that spotlight with another talented up-and-comer in the sports broadcasting game, Noah Eagle. He is the son of Ian Eagle, one of the top sports broadcasters around, most notably for the NFL.
Others like Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin have also eased their way into the broadcast booth of late. Former players jumping from the floor to the booth is a common career trajectory. Sometimes, they make the NBA an even greater experience for fans watching at home who want to learn about the game. JJ Redick, now head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, is a prime example of this. It certainly was a reason why his name was in head coaching job searches over the last few years. Now, wherever Carmelo lands, he hopes to talk about the game from his perspective and show his personality like those before him.
Changes All Around
Dramatic change is shifting in the NBA media and television game. Carmelo entering the broadcast space will add to the change. The most notable change is TNT’s Inside the NBA eventually moving to ESPN. That decision aligns with the league’s new 11-year media rights deal. Just over the past year, ESPN has shifted their league broadcasting voices around by showing some the door to some and opening the door for others. Not all the moves gained a positive response. Instead, a few were met with much criticism. For instance, letting Mike Breen’s long-time booth partners, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy, go was not a popular decision.
Nevertheless, change is commonly part of a congested and crowded space that is the sports media world. In Carmelo Anthony’s case, his part is only about to begin in the NBA’s corner, and he’ll do a fine job.
