Strike 2: Carmelo Anthony recently took his rightful place in the Basketball Hall of Fame. His accomplishments in college, the NBA and with USA Basketball made his selection a no-brainer, even if he never played on an NBA title-winning team. He did lead Syracuse to the NCAA title in 2003 – and in the basketball Hall, that means a lot. He made 10 all-star teams, and was an anchor for Team USA, competing in four Olympics and winning three gold medals.

So does all this mean that the Denver Nuggets – the organization that brought ‘Melo into the NBA and helped make him a superstar – should now automatically retire his jersey number 15 (tough to do when future hall of famer Nikola Jokic is wearing it) and celebrate him in some fashion?

The answer is no.

First off, there could be two No. 15’s, Anthony and Joker, after the latter retires. That would be no biggie. The reason a reconciliation hasn’t taken place is that both parties have to want it. What if they decided to have a jersey retirement ceremony, but the guest of honor decided not to show up?

Anthony – who forced his way out of town in 2011 when he and his then-wife desired the much brighter lights of New York City – has made zero effort to reconnect with his NBA roots since he retired after last suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022. No trips here to watch playoff games, no public appearances. Nothing. Zip.

The Nuggets drafted Anthony back in 2003, and he played eight and a half of his 19 seasons with Denver. Still, if he was forced to wear any team’s gear when he formally entered the Hall in Springfield, Mass, it would most certainly be that of the New York Knicks, where he spent six and a half seasons after the trade. If that seems odd to you, it should.

With Melo in Denver, the Nuggets were a playoff team every season from 2004 -10 and made the Western Conference Finals in 2009. Anthony was a huge part of that. He was also part of the reason they couldn’t get over the hump in the postseason. While he was one of the game’s all-time best scorers, his one-on-one style of play didn’t always make those around him perform better. And defense? Fuhgeddaboudit.

The breakup was ugly. Denver didn’t want to part with Anthony. They reportedly offered a contract extension, but Melo never signed it. He was much less concerned about playing for a winning team (the Nuggets were a perennial playoff team during that time, the Knicks were not) than he was with getting a bigger share of the limelight. His now ex-wife, TV personality LaLa Vasquez was from New York, and reportedly said some not-so-nice things about Denver before moving back east.

Careful what you wish for. A few years ago, Vasquez-Anthony said the move to NYC was the beginning of the end of the couple’s marriage. So there’s that.

As for right now, the Nuggets may or may not have reached out to Anthony’s people, but clearly, nothing has happened. And the Nuggets brass isn’t obligated to retire Anthony’s jersey. Former Nuggets head coach George Karl, who won 423 games with Denver (third most all-time after Michael Malone and Doug Moe) was elected to the Basketball Hall in 2022 and is one of only nine NBA head coaches to have won more than 1,000 career games. The Nuggets don’t seem to be in any hurry to put his number up there with Moe’s 432 (and Malone will likely have to wait until his coaching days are over.)

Before the Nuggets hang the number 15 from the rafters with Anthony’s name on it, Melo might want to drop by Ball Arena to catch a game and have a photo op. Only then will the wounds begin to heal.