Carmelo Anthony is headed back into the spotlight this week, but not because he is making an NBA comeback.
According to USA Today, a viral post from ClutchPoints claimed that Anthony was “coming back from retirement” to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers for the rest of the season, citing NBA insider Shams Charania. The rumor spread quickly online as Lakers fans imagined one more run from the future Hall of Famer.
There was only one problem: the report was fake.
The post was shared on April 1 as part of an April Fools’ Day prank, and ClutchPoints later made clear that Anthony is not returning to the Lakers or to the NBA. Despite the excitement the rumor generated, Anthony remains retired, having officially stepped away from basketball in 2023.
Despite this, Anthony is still tied to both the Lakers and the game itself. Anthony finished his 19-year NBA career in Los Angeles during the 2021-22 season, joining a roster that included LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Although the Lakers did not make a deep playoff run that year, Anthony remained a productive scorer and one of the most recognizable veterans in the league.
Since retiring, Anthony has hardly disappeared. Earlier this year, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after a career that included 10 NBA All-Star selections, a scoring title, four Olympic medals, and more than 28,000 career points.
Reflecting on his career recently, Anthony said there was no single moment that defined it.
“It’s hard to narrow down my career to one defining moment,” Anthony said. “There have been so many that shaped who I am—winning Olympic gold medals, coming back home to play in New York as a Knick, the 2013 scoring title game, and of course, that 62-point night at the Garden. Each of those moments meant something different, but it all represents the grind and perseverance I had for the game.”
Anthony has also been focused on life away from the court. During his Hall of Fame induction speech, he turned his attention to his children, calling them his true legacy. Addressing his son, Kiyan, and daughter, Genesis, Anthony said, “Your father isn’t perfect, but he is proof that struggle doesn’t mean surrender. Proof that the road can be rough and still lead to glory.”
He later added, “My kids saved me. They gave me a reason to move past ego, past noise, past criticism. They remind me that legacy isn’t what you leave behind, but what you lift up.”
