Kobe Bryant admits playing alongside Carmelo Anthony is an appealing idea – NBA Update
Los Angeles Lakers super star Kobe Bryant has said he would love to get an opportunity to play in the same side as New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.
“I would actually like to play with Melo.” Bryant said, according to Hoops world.
Kobe, who has played for the Los Angeles Lakers throughout his NBA career, has had the pleasure of playing with some of the best players in the league, including Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton and such he has never been short of greatness alongside him.
Anthony and Bryant are two of the best players in the league; however, it is unlikely that the stars could feature on the same team. Still, by making the statement the ‘Black Mamba’ has put a spotlight on the talent and skill of Carmelo.
Bryant has been around for many years now and understands the necessary qualities for wining NBA World Championship winning sides. All 5 of his NBA rings have come alongside players who were dangerous inside the paint, such as O’Neal, and that is what he sees in Melo.
“Championships are won on the inside and I’m always thinking about winning the title. I would love to play with Melo because I would know that I have an inside presence. That’s really been the biggest strength with our Lakers team.”
He did though go on to clear that he does appreciate the support he currently has on the Lakers roster. Los Angeles have a side packed with talent, especially players who can affect a game from the inside. That is one of the reasons they have been so successful over the past few years.
“We have a lot of guys who can play in the post, and that’s how you win championships. I can post, Lamar [Odom] can post, Ron [Artest] can post, Pau [Gasol] can post and Andrew [Bynum] can post. Teams are usually lucky if they have one guy that can control the block. But yeah, I would love to play with Melo.” He continued in the interview.
However, it has to be said though that Carmelo is on another level to the players mentioned above. Melo started his career with the Denver Nuggets, who drafted him third overall in the same year when LeBron James went as the first pick to Cleveland Cavaliers.
James has gone on to become arguably the best all round player in the league today, but Melo is not too far behind, especially on offense. His arsenal is full of moves and tricks that can leave even the best defenders clutching at thin air in his wake.
Now at New York, alongside Amare’ Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups, Melo finally has a platform from which to showcase his talents to a larger audience and mount a strong challenge for the NBA World Championships.
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