Michael Jordan’s revolutionary career entertained and inspired generations of basketball fans. Particularly during his playing days, aspiring athletes idolized him, wanting to ‘be like Mike’. This shifted off-court conversations drastically, as refusing to worship him often came at a price. While reminiscing about those days, Carmelo Anthony recalled witnessing this firsthand.

On 7PM in Brooklyn, Melo discussed how he initially found his basketball hero in Bernard King and later in Vince Carter. However, his peers from that time had trouble accepting this. They couldn’t understand how anyone could even think of idolizing someone other than MJ in the late 1980s and 1990s. This even prompted them to ask Anthony for an explanation, as he recalled,

“Coming up, my favorite player was Bernard King… And then as I got older, Vince Carter was my favorite player. 15, headband, hence why. So, I used to catch heat though. ‘Why you like Bernard King, yo? Why your favorite player ain’t Michael Jordan?’… Catching heat and I never understood why and I’m just like, ‘Yo, if this is who inspired me, this is who inspired me’… So, I had to tell that story”.

Given MJ’s influence on the NBA during his era, it’s hard to blame his peers for their reactions. After all, Jordan consistently exceeded expectations while redefining the norms. This led fans to worship him as a superstar who could make the impossible happen. On top of this, his impact extended beyond the basketball court, shaping the culture and business in America in unthinkable ways.

That said, Melo was one of the rare ones from his era. As a true basketball fan, he didn’t just focus on Jordan, but drew inspiration from many other stars. Consequently, he found inspiration from the legendary King Vince Carter, whose remarkable gameplay in the 1980s kept opponents on edge. When Carter later came onto the scene, Anthony was naturally drawn to him because of his distinctive style and play.

However, his contemporaries didn’t quite see it that way. They were happy blending in with the masses while expecting Melo to do the same. This trend hasn’t changed to date. It’s now something Anthony’s son, Kiyan, has to deal with too.

Kiyan shares the same fate as Carmelo

Kiyan’s last appearance on COMPLEX made headlines for unexpected reasons. The teenager naming Paul George as the greatest basketball player of all time, or the G.O.A.T., turned heads everywhere. After all, his answer broke away from the usual favorites of his generation, like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and even his father, Melo.

Over time, this sparked a major backlash against both him and PG13. Many fans argued that the latter wasn’t worthy of being an inspiration, since he hadn’t won a championship. Consequently, people began questioning Kiyan’s preference, demanding an explanation. So, the teenager ironically faced a nearly similar treatment to what his father experienced during his playing days.

This prompted George to defend the youngster during the recent episode. The 34-year-old also stood up for himself, pointing to the situation’s complexity. Sharing his viewpoint, he stated, “How you attack a kid? That’s who he enjoys watching… For me… I’m doing something good. I’m inspiring the next generation… In a way, it’s almost like, damn if I do, damn if I don’t”.

It seems like nothing much has changed in the NBA circles. Fans still worship a handful of big names, and anyone who dares look beyond them gets penalized. Yet, pushing the boundaries is crucial. That’s how the game evolves and the league becomes bigger than basketball.