By Jordan Long
Carmelo Anthony hasn’t played in the NBA since 2022. He is stirring up some drama with the number 15 which Nikola Jokic wears in Denver. Anthony had this number when he played for the franchise. According to USAtoday.com, on his “7 PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony & The Kid Mero” podcast, Anthony said, “It was a petty maneuver. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, we got numbers to choose from.’ It was like, ‘Here, you got 15.'” He also believes they gave Jokic the number to erase his legacy in Denver. This is simply not true.
The Nuggets drafted Carmelo Anthony with the 3rd overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Before the 2003-2004 NBA season started, the Denver Nuggets missed the playoffs for the 8th year in a row. Carmelo Anthony immediately made a direct impact scoring 21 points per game, leading the Nuggets back into the playoffs as the 8th seed. They lost to Minnesota in the first-round. Of course, this would start a stretch of 7 straight playoff appearances with Anthony, putting the Denver Nuggets back in the NBA Championship conversation. The Nuggets though would be beaten in the first-round of 6 of those playoff series. The only season where they managed a long playoff run was in 2009 when they advanced to the Western Conference Finals only to lose to the L.A. Lakers in 6 games.
Anthony was traded from Denver to New York on February 21, 2011. When he left, Anthony had averaged 24.8 points per game. He scored 13,970 points, 3rd in Nuggets history. Anthony ranks 7th in games played at 564 in a Nuggets’ uniform. Looking at that, he was a large part of the franchise’s history.
Jokic was a 2nd round draft pick, 41st overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. This is a lot lower than Anthony’s. Denver didn’t know they had drafted one of the best centers in the NBA. Jokic picked his number the same way Anthony did. It was the number he wore in Serbia. It’s not like the Nuggets just gave him the #15.
Jokic is becoming the best player in franchise history. He is 4th in Nuggets history scoring 13,023 points. That number will keep climbing. He is the best rebounder in Nuggets’ history as his total stands at 6,721 rebounds. Of course, Jokic owns the franchise record for triple-doubles at 116.
Anthony might be upset because of the success Jokic had compared to him. Anthony was never able to win an NBA championship in Denver or anywhere else he played. Jokic accomplished that feat. When Jokic leaves the game, the #15 will be retired by the Nuggets’ organization. Not only should it be Jokic’s name but Anthony’s as well in the rafters. Anthony’s achievements in a Nuggets uniform will never be forgotten. He helped the Nuggets become a competitive franchise once again.
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