NBA legend Carmelo Anthony made headlines this week after officially announcing his retirement from the NBA. Over a nearly 20-year-long career, Melo was a 10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA player, and one of the 75 greatest players ever.

While nobody was shocked when he ultimately decided to hang up his jersey for good, it was a bittersweet moment for many fans who grew up watching Anthony torch the league for years. Speaking up after the news broke, LeBron James had some of his own words to spare to honor the career of his colleague and good friend.

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“Congratulations my brother. Where do I start? Is it us all the way back in High School, sitting outside that hotel all the way to the battles we had together. I could sit here and talk for hours and hours and hours and I’m just so proud of you man and so blessed and humbled to be a part of your journey. You’re one of the greatest players I’ve ever seen. From the very moment I saw you at Colorado Springs at the USA basketball all the way to me teaming up with you on the Lakers. You’ve always been one of the greatest I’ve seen play the game, man, and I just wanna say congratulations to you and to your family and everything you accomplished…”

Anthony and James were drafted together in 2003, and they will go down as the top players from that class. Anthony, of course, never achieved the heights that LeBron did during his career but his story is still one of epic proportions and his game will never be forgotten in the archives of NBA history.

LeBron shares a special connection with Melo as a friend and competitor, but he clearly has immense respect for the basketball legend given the body of work he was able to assemble.

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Anthony’s place in the all-time hierarchy is still widely debated, but his peak years in Denver and New York rank up there with some of the best in the modern era. And while he doesn’t have an NBA championship to his name, he’s a winner in basically every other stage of the game.

If LeBron is wise and humble enough to recognize Melo as the legend he is, then who are we to argue against his storied career and the impact he had on the basketball world during the peak of his powers.