NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony says he’d like to play in the NBA All-Star Game, even if it’s just short enough for a hi-how-ya-doing to the home crowd.
But the optics aren’t good. He has a sore left knee that apparently needs corrective surgery. It’s very possible he won’t suit up for New York again this season. He’s missed 13 games for the lowly Knicks, most recently on Wednesday, the last contest before the break. The ASG, of course, is a meaningless exhibition game. A showcase.
Still, he wants to hit the court as a starter for the Eastern Conference.
Carmelo Anthony poses for his All-Star starter photos (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
We’ll find out what the fans think of it when he’s introduced at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. WFAN co-host Craig Carton thinks Melo will get an ovation, though he’s not happy with how the Knicks superstar is handling his NYC ambassador role.
“Why can’t you do all that stuff — be a coach on the celebrity game, go to all the parties, be the man about town — but when it comes to the game itself, respectfully decline because it’s not good for your franchise,” Carton said. “That’s the problem!”
Carton’s co-host, former Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason, called Melo’s decision “an affront to all Knicks fans and a disgrace … it is just absolutely a joke.”