One of the largest criticisms of Carmelo Anthony’s one year adventure with the Oklahoma City Thunder was his unwillingness to accept a bench role. Don’t look for that to change as he is seemingly moving on to becoming a Houston Rocket.
Last year it was believed that if Melo moved to be the sixth man for the team they may have been a better team, it didn’t happen and at times the Thunder’s on-court product seemed a little disjointed. With a new team to be on his jersey for the upcoming season, he let ESPN’s Jamele Hill know that he knows best for when it’s time to not be a starter anymore.
“I know how to play this game of basketball. I’ve been playing it for a long time. When I feel like I’m ready to take that role, then I’ll take that role. Only I know when it’s best for me to take that role,” Melo shared. “I’m not going to do that in a situation where I still know my capabilities and what I can do. And at the end of the day, the people who really matter know my capabilities and what I can still do. You start getting to the media and debates, it’s going to always be kind of back-and-forth.”
It will be interesting to see how his resistance of a bench role will impact the Rockets’ success.