Carmelo Anthony retired from the NBA on Monday, cementing his status as the ninth-highest scorer in league history with 28,289 points.
Carmelo Anthony @carmeloanthonyThank you <a href="">#STAYME7O</a> <a href="">
Melo entered the 2021-22 season with 27,370 career points, 39 behind Moses Malone for ninth all time. He surpassed Malone during a 28-point outing against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 24, 2021.
Had Anthony signed with a team for the 2022-23 campaign, he almost certainly would've moved ahead of Shaquille O'Neal for eighth place on the all-time scoring list. He was 308 points away from surpassing The Big Aristotle.
Anthony averaged 13.3 points in 69 games as a reserve for the Lakers. Another full season at that pace would've put him comfortably ahead of O'Neal. Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 31,419 career points, would've been much harder to take down for seventh.
Anthony's tremendous offensive output over the years contributed to an exceptional future Hall of Fame-caliber career that also includes an NCAA title with Syracuse and three Olympic gold medals for Team USA.
The 10-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA honoree averaged 25 or more points per game on in seven separate seasons. He paced the NBA with 28.7 points per game for the 2012-13 New York Knicks.
There's no question Anthony will be remembered as one of the most potent scorers from his era.
