If there was any doubt after their rookie seasons about who the better player was between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, there’s certainly no doubt today. The two great rivals sparked debates across the league after the 2003-04 season about whether LeBron truly deserved the ROY award.
Fast forward, just seven months older, Melo retired three seasons ago, while Bron is still in the top tier of the league’s best players. And while Carmelo entered the Naismith Hall of Fame last night, LeBron is gearing up for his record-breaking 23rd season, something that’s almost unbelievable in and of itself. Carmelo joked about how long his great friend has lasted on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Advertisement
“He’s still going, it’s unbelievable, man,” Anthony said. “That’s my brother. We talk about being around, being together, being tied, being connected, being talked about since we were 17, 18 years old. And for me to be entering the Hall of Fame, and for him, hopefully, to get his ass up out of there and come on over this side (smiles). Enough is enough. Give it a break.”
LeBron didn’t have nearly the same impact on his team in his rookie season
From today’s perspective, it’s almost inconceivable that Lebron has lasted until today and is still in MVP conversations. Looking back at their rookie seasons, Melo, after the Denver Nuggets finished 17-65 the season before drafting him, immediately helped the team reach the playoffs with a 49-33 record. Melo averaged 21.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals on 42.6 percent from the field.
Advertisement
For comparison, The Chosen One, as LeBron was called long before stepping on an NBA hardwood, didn’t have nearly the same impact on his team in his rookie season, as they missed the playoffs with a 37-45 record. He finished his rookie campaign averaging 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists on 41.7 percent shooting. Who was better? We’ll leave that for you to decide.
Melo did not fully reach his potential
On the other hand, LeBron ultimately delivered everything expected of him. He became a four-time NBA champion and MVP, all-time leading scorer and the first player in history to score over 50,000 points. Melo never won an MVP or a championship; therefore, it is safe to say that he did not fully reach his potential, even though he had an outstanding career.
Advertisement
Although Melo expressed admiration for King James’ longevity, he made a bold claim saying that he was the better player in one aspect of their careers.
“If I ain’t the face of USA Basketball, I don’t know who is,” Melo stressed.
It’s almost unreal what James is still able to do on the court
Still, one could argue LeBron is ahead of him, as last summer he surpassed Carmelo on the all-time Team USA scoring list, becoming the team’s all-time leader in assists and the oldest MVP in tournament history. Also, with his third Olympic gold, he is tied with Carmelo for second place behind Kevin Durant, further proving LeBron’s longevity, considering he went 12 years without wearing the No.6 Team USA jersey.
Advertisement
It’s almost unreal what James is still able to do on the court at 40, especially when we remember some of the all-time greats, including Anthony himself, who was far from his best toward the end of his career.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.