NBA Legend Carmelo Anthony Talks Knicks, LeBron James, Playoffs, Syracuse and More in B/R Interview

Carmelo Anthony doesn't want to jinx anything with predictions because the NBA playoffs are "too up and down."

But he likes what he sees from his former team.

"So far, so good," the Hall of Famer told Bleacher Report when discussing the New York Knicks. "They've been the most impressive team in the East. Let's keep it rolling."

New York defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the first round and then swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the second. It has won seven playoff games in a row and is awaiting the winner of the series between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

With Madison Square Garden rocking every home game, Knicks fans taking over at road games and Jalen Brunson leading the way on the court, anything less than an NBA Finals run would be a major disappointment at this point.

Knicks-76ers Highlights

01:29

While Anthony never made the Finals with the Knicks and also played for the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers, they likely remain the team he is most closely associated with for fans.

After all, he won the scoring title in the Big Apple in 2012-13 when he averaged 28.7 points per game and was an All-Star in each of his six full seasons with the franchise. He remains a beloved fan favorite and still gets rousing ovations when he is in attendance at Madison Square Garden.

And he revealed on his podcast he plans on being there if this year's team reaches the NBA Finals stage:

"Once a Knick, always a Knick," Anthony told Bleacher Report when discussing the love he and many of the team's former players still receive from the fans. "New York is one of the only places that you could bring back alumni like that."

The Knicks are not the only one of Anthony's former teams making waves in the playoffs.

Oklahoma City figured to get everyone's best shot with the proverbial target on its back as the reigning champions and the top seed in the Western Conference, but it has been on cruise control through two rounds.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round and did the same to LeBron James and the Lakers in the second round. The Thunder are 8-0 in the postseason and won six of those games by double figures.

"It seems like the former teams are doing well," Anthony said while revealing that even though he wasn't making any predictions he "wouldn't be surprised" if the Thunder and Knicks square off for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

OKC's second-round win over the Lakers put James' future into the spotlight seeing how he is 41 years old and entering unrestricted free agency. The King entered the league alongside Anthony as two of the most notable members of the famous 2003 draft class that also featured Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and nine All-Stars in total.

Players in that draft that was 23 years ago are no longer playing in the NBA, except, of course, the No. 1 pick.

Despite being eliminated by the Thunder, James was arguably the best player in his team's first-round series win over the Rockets at 41 years old. He was also an All-Star again this season and remains one of the better players in the league even though he is no longer at his peak.

"What he's doing, we may not see this ever again," Anthony said. "He's been amazing. It's a testament to who he is, his work ethic, how he takes care of his mind and body, and his skill set."

LeBron Drops 28 In Win

00:46

James even played alongside his son, Bronny, this season and threw him a lob during a playoff game against Houston. So did that inspire Anthony to come back with his son, Kiyan Anthony, potentially heading to the league one day?

"I'm all good," he said while laughing. "I'm all done. I enjoy taking walks and chilling out."

He isn't just taking walks and chilling. 

He has also worked as part of the studio crew for NBC and Peacock's coverage of the NBA this season and playoffs. Anthony is working alongside Maria Taylor, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady and has gained a new perspective for the game after he took part in so many battles on the court throughout his career.

"It's been amazing just being able to be this close to the game again and talk about the game in those moments while also reflecting back on things," he said. "It's helped me understand today's game even more."

The analyst role has allowed Anthony to remain in the spotlight throughout the 2025-26 campaign, and he is using his platform to partner with CeraVe as the company's new "Head Coach."

The partnership with CeraVe, which is the official skincare and haircare partner of the NBA, was done to raise awareness that "scalp is skin" in an effort to prioritize scalp care.

"The partnership has been amazing," he said. "Just conceptually and what CeraVe stands for as a brand and their messaging. Also, the benefits of the actual product. This works well with both brands being authentic to who they are and the spaces that they're in. It's been a beautiful partnership."

His famous persona, Hoodie Melo, even made an appearance in the advertisement as he and CeraVe look to take away some of the stigma surrounding dandruff.

"Just having a conversation is the first step," Anthony said. "It allows people to understand dandruff is a real thing. When you talk about how many Americans really suffer from it, we're talking about one in five. It's an important message for me, it's an important message for everybody to take care of yourself and take care of your scalp. Everything for me starts with the crown of your scalp and goes down."

While Anthony will be the "Head Coach" for CeraVe, one of his former teammates landed quite the coaching job this year as well.

Syracuse hired Gerry McNamara as its new head coach of the men's basketball team. McNamara and Anthony were teammates during the Orange's run to the national championship in the 2002-03 campaign.

Anthony led the way in his one and only collegiate year as the 2003 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player, the Big East Rookie of the Year and an All-American who had his No. 15 jersey retired by the program.

McNamara's return to the bench isn't Anthony's only connection to the 2026-27 Syracuse team, as his son, Kiyan, announced he is returning for his sophomore season.

Kiyan Anthony was a 4-star prospect and the No. 34 overall player in the recruiting class of 2025, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and was a secondary contributor during his freshman season while averaging 8.0 points and 1.4 rebounds per game and shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 25.4 percent from deep.

He scored in double figures in ACC games against Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina and SMU and is someone who could be poised to make a second-year leap. 

"It was the best thing that's happened to me since my kids were born," Carmelo Anthony said of getting to watch his son play for the same school he did. "Just seeing him, the uniform, the energy. It just took me right back."

He also expects the Orange to return to the NCAA tournament this season.

"Kiyan's locked in," Anthony said. "Gerry's locked in. 'Cuse is locked in. We're all locked in."

And who can argue with a program legend?