As any NBA fan knows, Carmelo Anthony is a name that has become synonymous with basketball excellence. He wants his Denver Nuggets jersey number 15 retired. His time with the franchise spanned from 2003-2011. This stretch was easily the most fruitful stretch of his professional career, producing eye-popping numbers and unprecedented team success. Over 564 games, Anthony averaged 24.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, leading the Nuggets to the postseason each year he played there.
Anthony’s contributions eventually led to the 2009 Western Conference Finals where the Nuggets met the Los Angeles Lakers. Although they lost the series, Anthony’s leadership during those years is credited with revitalizing the Nuggets and restoring their competitive spirit. Anthony’s accolades speak for themselves—a 10-time NBA All-Star and a three-time Olympic gold medalist. Yet, his jersey is still unretired, and current superstar Nikola Jokic now proudly wears the number he once made famous.
Drafted third overall from Syracuse University in 2003, Anthony immediately cemented himself in franchise history. In doing so, he arguably became one of its all-time greats. His artistry as a scorer and ultimate will to win placed him among the highest echelon of players ever in Denver’s illustrious history. Most close observers consider him to be in the franchise’s top two or three athletes ever. His career statistics are the definition of dominance. He did, however, leave the NBA with professional basketball at an end, with 28,289 points netting him the tenth position on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
The relationship between Anthony and the Nuggets quickly soured when he demanded a trade from the team in 2011. For the franchise and its fanbase, this divorce was excruciating. Few can forget the endearing imprint he left on Denver during his tenure. Former teammates and executives have publicly argued for retiring his jersey, underscoring his transformative impact on the organization.
“Melo is one of the greatest players in the history of the franchise,” – Chauncey Billups
Billups spoke to how intertwined Anthony’s legacy runs through Denver’s basketball culture. He stated that while numerous talented players have come and gone, “Melo is one of the best players in the history of the franchise — probably top three, top two.” He highlighted the fact that even three years later, the fans still love Anthony, showing how powerful the nostalgia for the “Melo era” truly is.
Rexall Vandeweghe had said after Anthony’s importance in the crucial, rebuilding phase for the Nuggets.
“Carmelo embraced the star role and came through as well as somebody could come through,” – Rexall Vandeweghe
Vandeweghe stressed Anthony’s pivotal role in helping lead the team through difficult moments. Most importantly, he recalibrated the discussion to ensure that Anthony’s contributions were framed as necessary steps in the franchise’s evolution.
Despite this support, Anthony’s jersey remains unretired. Some fans went on to say that Jokic’s decision to wear the number 15 is him trying to erase Anthony’s legacy. In an open and honest talk regarding this very topic, Anthony shared what it really meant to him for Jokic to be donning his number.
“It was a petty maneuver,” – Carmelo Anthony
He reflected on how he believed Jokic could have honored his legacy by acknowledging the significance of wearing number 15.
“He could’ve worn it because he wanted to pay homage,” – Carmelo Anthony
Local hero Chauncey Billups gave his two cents on the debate. In his mind, the second that Anthony stepped out of Denver, the team needed to retire his jersey.
“They should have retired Melo’s jersey the year after he retired,” – Chauncey Billups
For all those reasons, he went on to explain, honoring Anthony should have been the default position of the organization.
“To me, it is already too late,” – Chauncey Billups
Billups articulated that acknowledging Anthony’s legacy is crucial for maintaining a connection with past achievements while looking to the future.
As Josh Kroenke, the Nuggets’ president of basketball operations, put it, Anthony was a transformational presence with the franchise. He told us that Anthony was part of a major movement toward playing more competitive basketball in Denver.
“To our fan base, I think he represented a shift in where the organization was at a certain point in time to a different era of incredibly competitive basketball,” – Josh Kroenke
Kroenke praised Anthony’s efforts to restore pride and interest to Nuggets basketball, which led to numerous playoff appearances in the mid-2000s.
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