Carmelo Anthony: Knicks' Championship Defense Hinges on Embracing the Target

Former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony is anticipating the team's upcoming NBA championship ring ceremony and banner unveiling, an event he described as a dream come true. As the Knicks prepare to receive their rings on opening night at Madison Square Garden, marking the franchise's first title in 53 years, Anthony reflected on the unique challenge of defending a championship.

Anthony, who will be part of NBC Sports' NBA coverage, shared that he still finds himself mentally preparing for games as if he were on the court. "A game like tomorrow – opening night, ring night, banner night. Like right now, I’m preparing myself to get ready for the game like I’m about to go play," he told OutKick. "And I have to pinch myself, like, ‘Yo bro, you ain’t getting back out there. You’re good on this side.’"

He acknowledged the intense emotions of the Knicks' championship run, recalling pivotal moments like OG Anunoby's Game 4 tip-in against the San Antonio Spurs and Jalen Brunson's crucial three-pointers. "Winning one is a dream – we all dream of winning one. You don’t play this game without dreaming of winning a championship," Anthony said.

However, Anthony cautioned that the status of defending champions brings a new set of pressures. "Defending it is a job," he stated. "So, nobody’s sneaking up on anybody anymore. That banner is going up there and the target goes on [the backs of the Knicks] instantly. Every team is going to circle the Knicks on the schedule, so that price of being champs in New York. You better embrace it and it’s going to be a fun ride."

Anthony believes the Knicks remain the team to beat, provided they approach the season with the right mentality. "When you know you have the crown, you’re not going to let anybody knock that crown off," he said. "No matter what we gotta do, no matter how we gotta do it, no matter how hard it is to maintain this crown, we gotta do what we gotta do. And I think that’s the mentality coming into this season. Also, I think each individual player had to get better at something and get stronger in their weaknesses this offseason. If they did that, again, that’s the championship mindset. If they’re coming back like that, New York is the team to beat."

Beyond basketball, Anthony also discussed his partnership with DraftKings, highlighting a new campaign featuring Kevin Hart and Nick Jonas. He expressed enthusiasm for the expansion of DraftKings into all 50 states, allowing more people to engage with sports. "The beauty in that is the fact that we can have more fun with DraftKings because it’s in all 50 states now, which is major. I just love the fact that more people are involved, and more people can have fun with the game of basketball in this sense, and just sports in general. I love that."