Phil Jackson Says His Tweet, Thought To Be Dig At Carmelo Anthony, Was Misinterpreted
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Knicks president Phil Jackson says his tweet earlier this week, which appeared to take a veiled shot at Carmelo Anthony, was misunderstood.
On Thursday afternoon, Jackson returned to Twitter to write: "So after starting a storm with a misunderstood tweet, I offer this (peace sign emoji) our society is torn with discord. I'm against it. Let It Be."
On Tuesday, Jackson tweeted: ""Bleacher's Ding almost rings the bell, but I learned you don't change the spot on a leopard with Michael Graham in my CBA daze."
The first tweet came on the same day that Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding published a column saying Jackson overestimated his own ability to convert Anthony from "superstar to winning superstar" and that Anthony lacks the drive to win a championship.
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Graham, meanwhile, was a once-promising power forward out of Georgetown whom Jackson coached on the Continental Basketball Association's Albany Patroons in the 1980s. Graham's lack of discipline is blamed for why he never made it in the NBA, and Jackson dismissed him from the Patroons after the two got into an argument during a game.
Jackson, who has reportedly been trying to trade Carmelo Anthony for weeks, did not elaborate on how his Tuesday tweet was misinterpreted or what he was actually trying to say. He has not spoken to Knicks beat reporters since September.
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Anthony was visibly annoyed when asked about the tweet Wednesday night, but he tried to defuse the situation with some humor.
"I definitely wasn't googling who Michael Graham was,'' Anthony said. "I was upset he got the animal wrong. I'm not a cheetah. I'm black jaguar.
"I'm done asking why. I don't need an explanation. I'm beyond the point of it bothering me."
