National Basketball Association

New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony Predicts Incredible Year

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

During a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take, rapper Fat Joe claimed that Carmelo Anthony told him to expect an incredible year from the New York Knicks in 2016-17.

The 2016-17 New York Knicks are the most enigmatic team in the NBA. The talent that Phil Jackson has put around Carmelo Anthony is clear and overwhelming, but the injury concerns offer just as many reasons to be skeptical.

Never one to bite his tongue, Anthony has allegedly made the claim that New York is going to have an incredible year in 2016-17.

Anthony is coming off of a historic summer with Team USA. By leading the Americans to the gold medal in Brazil, he became the first and only male basketball player to win three Olympic gold medals.

During an appearance on ESPN’s First Take, rapper Fat Joe claimed that Anthony recently told him to get excited about the 2016-17 season.

For those who can’t see the video, Fat Joe’s quote was as follows:

“In all the years [I’ve known] Carmelo Anthony since he’s been in high school, and I hope he doesn’t beat me up, I’ve never once in my life received a phone call. I got a phone call from Carmelo Anthony. He said, ‘If there’s any year in your life to be a New York Knicks fan, it’s this one. And go hard.’ And I said, ‘Melo, what are you saying?’ He called me from Brazil. And he said, ‘I promise you, this is going to be an incredible year for the Knicks.'”

If that’s true, then it’s delightful to know Anthony is as optimistic as he is.

Anthony will be playing with three new starters and, expectedly, a more polished Kristaps Porzingis. Derrick Rose was acquired via trade to address the absence of a dribble penetrator, and Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah were signed to shore up the defense.

Lee and Noah are also skilled offensive players who should help new head coach Jeff Hornacek run his system.

Both Lee and Noah should alleviate defensive pressure from Anthony.

Off the bench, New York signed career starter Brandon Jennings to be the sixth man. It also re-signed Lance Thomas, landed Justin Holiday via trade, and signed Olympic standouts Willy Hernangomez and Mindaugas Kuzminskas.

The Knicks may or may not have a super team, but they certainly have a postseason-caliber roster.

Anthony allegedly sees incredible things in New York’s future.