Phil Jackson believes that Carmelo Anthony can be to the Knicks what Michael Jordan was to the Bulls
If there’s one thing that Phil Jackson has seen over his NBA head-coaching career, it’s superstars. No other man holding a clipboard can boast that they’ve coached both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, two of the greatest and most iconic players in the league’s history. No other coach can really say they’ve done anything comparable to that.
Now heading the front office for the New York Knicks, Jackson thinks that he has another player on his roster that can be on par with Jordan and Kobe: Carmelo Anthony.
In a recent interview with ESPN where Jackson was evaluating the Knicks roster, Jackson had this to say about Melo:
"“Melo is a leader by example, not by exhorting his teammates. He’s also very into the triangle, and with a better supporting cast he has every chance to be the MJ and Kobe of our offense.”"
Jackson also spoke on Melo’s recovery from the surgical procedure he had on his left knee that ended his 2014-15 season. Phil said that he’s been in an “extensive rehab program” and believes he will be at full strength by the time training camp comes around.
That aside, Jackson is—possibly intentionally—putting a great deal of pressure on the 31-year-old Anthony by bringing in comparisons to Bryant and Jordan. While the sentiment may be that Melo can be the anchor of the triangle like Kobe and MJ were for Jackson’s teams, it comes across as expecting Anthony to be on the level of all-time greats.
In 40 games last season, Anthony averaged 24.2 points, 3.1 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game on 44.4 percent shooting from the field and 34.1 percent shooting from long-range (stats per ESPN.com). That was his worst statistical output since the infamous lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. Granted, he was dealing with a knee injury, but he’s also on the wrong side of 30 years old and playing with an abysmal roster.
Even at full health and with an improved roster heading into the 2015-16 season, Jackson is clearly expecting a great deal from Melo. By making comparisons to Jordan and Kobe, Phil wants Anthony to be the primary scorer in addition to being a playmaker for those around him. That’s something we’ve seen flashes of from Melo, but never a really a full season. It’s basically asking Anthony to be a type of player that he’s rarely—if ever—been over his 12 years in the league.
As always seems to be the case with the Knicks, Jackson’s expectations seem to be set a little high. That’s not meant as a slight to Anthony, but he’s simply not the same caliber of player that Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were in their primes. Maybe he’ll surprise everyone and become that player under the tutelage of Jackson and head coach Derek Fisher. Just looking at it now, though, that seems unlikely.
H/T to Bleacher Report
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