Many sports would prefer athletes made decisions on where they played based on the opportunity to win. But that’s simply not how the world works. Money and business matter and that often plays a role in where our favorite athletes decide to play.
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So credit to Carmelo Anthony for admitting as much, saying business opportunities were a factor in him deciding to sign with the New York Knicks this offseason.
From Neil Best of Newsday:
"“I just couldn’t leave from that perspective,” he said at the Bloomberg Sports Business Summit in Manhattan. “There were so many opportunities that I started to build upon here in New York City, business opportunities, different situations.“I just felt if I was to leave, I would have to start all over in the next place, meet new people, build that foundation up once again, and it took me a lot to build that foundation and get it up and going to where it’s at right now.”"
Not only are the best business opportunities available to Anthony in New York, but the Knicks offered him the most money (five-year, near-max deal), so his decision to return was a no-brainer for Anthony from a financial perspective.
However, there’s no denying that Anthony could ultimately regret his move. 20 years from now he might prefer having gone to Chicago and winning a championship than having the extra millions he’ll make back in New York.
But Anthony seems pleased with his decision at this point and that’s really all that matters.