Career Timeline of Carmelo Anthony: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Carmelo Anthony made an impact.

Carmelo Anthony, a retired American professional basketball player, had a distinguished 19-season NBA career. A ten-time NBA All-Star and six-time All-NBA Team selection, he gained prominence early, leading Syracuse Orange to a national championship in 2003 and earning the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. In 2021, Anthony was honored on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, solidifying his reputation as one of the NBA's premier scorers. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice in 2025, individually and as part of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1989: Second highest playoff series average against the Celtics

In the 2013 NBA playoffs, Carmelo Anthony had the second highest playoff series average of a Knicks player against the Celtics, behind Ewing's average during the 1989-90 first round series.

2000: Knicks first playoff series win since 2000

In the 2013 NBA playoffs, the Knicks secured their first playoff series win since 2000 against the Boston Celtics, with Anthony averaging a team-high 29.2 points per game in the series.

2001: Knicks first playoff win since 2001

Despite injuries to key players, Anthony led the Knicks to their first playoff win since 2001, scoring 41 points in the game against the Miami Heat.

2001: Highest-selling jersey in the NBA

In 2013, Carmelo Anthony became the first Knicks player with the highest-selling jersey in the NBA, based on sales at the NBA Store and NBAstore.com, since the league started tracking jersey sales in 2001.

2002: Played for Syracuse University

Carmelo Anthony played one season at Syracuse University, during the 2002–03 season.

June 26, 2003: Drafted by the Denver Nuggets

On June 26, 2003, Carmelo Anthony's NBA career began when he was chosen third overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets.

October 29, 2003: NBA Regular Season Debut

On October 29, 2003, Carmelo Anthony made his NBA regular season debut in an 80–72 home win against the San Antonio Spurs, finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

2003: Drafted by the Denver Nuggets

In 2003, Carmelo Anthony entered the NBA draft after one season at Syracuse and was selected with the third overall pick by the Denver Nuggets.

2003: Guided Orangemen to NCAA Tournament Title

In 2003, Carmelo Anthony helped guide the Syracuse Orangemen to their first ever NCAA tournament title and earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player Award.

2003: First Shoe Deal with Jordan Brand

In 2003, Carmelo Anthony signed his first shoe deal with Jordan Brand, earning $3.5 million per year for six years.

2003: NBA Draft

In 2003, Carmelo Anthony was drafted into the NBA. During the same year, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were also drafted.

2003: National Championship and NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player

In 2003, Carmelo Anthony, as a freshman playing college basketball for the Syracuse Orange, won a national championship and was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

2003: Declared for the NBA draft

In 2003, after accomplishing everything he set out to do in one season, Carmelo Anthony chose to leave Syracuse and declared himself eligible for the NBA draft.

2003: Win season series against Celtics

On March 31, 2013, with a win against the Boston Celtics, the Knicks won the season series against the Celtics (3–1) for the first time since the 2003–04 season.

February 9, 2004: Reached 1,000 Career Points

On February 9, 2004, against the Memphis Grizzlies, Carmelo Anthony became the third-youngest player to reach the 1,000-point plateau in NBA history with a 20-point effort in an 86–83 win.

February 13, 2004: Participated in Got Milk? Rookie Challenge

On February 13, 2004, Carmelo Anthony participated in the Got Milk? Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend.

March 10, 2004: Named NBA Player of the Week

From March 10, 2004 – March 14, 2004, Carmelo Anthony was named NBA Player of the Week

March 14, 2004: Named NBA Player of the Week

From March 10, 2004 – March 14, 2004, Carmelo Anthony was named NBA Player of the Week

March 30, 2004: Scored 41 Points Against Seattle SuperSonics

On March 30, 2004, Carmelo Anthony scored 41 points against the Seattle SuperSonics, setting a new Denver Nuggets franchise record for most points in a game by a rookie.

April 6, 2004: Named NBA Player of the Week

From April 6, 2004 – April 10, 2004, Carmelo Anthony was named NBA Player of the Week

April 10, 2004: Named NBA Player of the Week

From April 6, 2004 – April 10, 2004, Carmelo Anthony was named NBA Player of the Week

December 4, 2004: Reached 2,000 Career Points

On December 4, 2004, versus the Miami Heat, Carmelo Anthony became the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach 2,000 career points.

2004: Won Bronze Medal in Olympics

In 2004, Carmelo Anthony won a bronze medal with the US national team at the Olympics.

2004: Release of First Signature Shoe

In 2004, Carmelo Anthony's first signature shoe, the Jordan Carmelo 1.5, was released.

Nike Jordan Carmelo 1.5 Low

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2004: Donation to Tsunami Relief Efforts

In 2004, following the tsunami caused by the Indian Ocean earthquake, Carmelo Anthony donated $35,000 to relief efforts.

2004: Playoff Appearance

In the 2004 NBA playoffs, the Nuggets faced the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, resulting in a loss for Anthony's first career playoff game.

2004: Led Nuggets to Playoffs

Starting in 2004, Carmelo Anthony led the Denver Nuggets to the playoffs every year.

November 23, 2005: Anthony hauls down his 1,000th career rebound

On November 23, 2005, while playing against the Detroit Pistons, Carmelo Anthony recorded his 1,000th career rebound.

2005: Donations to Charity

In 2005, Carmelo Anthony donated $1,000 per point scored against San Antonio and Houston on January 8 and 9, respectively.

2005: Clutch Performer Recognition

In 2005, Carmelo Anthony was recognized as a premier clutch performer in the NBA, making five game-winning shots in the last five seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime during the 2005-06 season. Dave McMenamin of ESPN highlighted Anthony as a contender to Kobe Bryant for the title of "Mr. Clutch".

2005: MVP of Got Milk? Rookie Challenge Game

In 2005, playing in front of his home fans of Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 31 points to become the MVP of the Got Milk? Rookie Challenge game.

January 8, 2006: Anthony makes game-winning shot against Houston

On January 8, 2006, Carmelo Anthony made a game-winning jump shot in the last five seconds against Houston.

January 18, 2006: Anthony gives Nuggets lead against Cavaliers

On January 18, 2006, Carmelo Anthony made shots in the final 22 seconds against the Cleveland Cavaliers, giving the Nuggets a lead they maintained to win the game.

March 17, 2006: Anthony surpasses 5,000 career points

On March 17, 2006, Carmelo Anthony scored 33 points against the Memphis Grizzlies, pushing his career point total over 5,000. He became the second youngest player to reach this milestone.

December 14, 2006: Opening of Youth Development Center

On December 14, 2006, Carmelo Anthony opened "The Carmelo Anthony Youth Development Center" in Baltimore.

2006: Charitable Donations Ranking

For charitable contributions totaling $4,282,000, Carmelo Anthony was listed as number eight in "The Giving Back 30 List of Largest Charitable Donations by Celebrities in 2006".

2006: Defeated 2006 World Champion Spain

In 2006, The United States defeated 2006 World Champion Spain, with Anthony scoring 13 points.

2007: FIBA Americas Championship

In 2007, Carmelo Anthony was a member of Team USA at the FIBA Americas Championship, where the team went undefeated, winning 10 games.

2008: Gold Medal at the Beijing Summer Olympics

In 2008, Carmelo Anthony played in the Beijing Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal with Team USA. He scored 21 points against Argentina, setting USA Olympic game records for made free throws and free throw percentage.

2008: Member of 2008 U.S. Olympic team

In 2008, Carmelo Anthony was a member of the U.S. Olympic team.

2008: Won Gold Medal in Olympics

In 2008, Carmelo Anthony won a gold medal with the US national team at the Olympics.

January 30, 2009: Anthony returns from injury

On January 30, 2009, Carmelo Anthony returned to the Nuggets starting lineup after recovering from a broken bone in his hand. He scored 19 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

April 29, 2009: Anthony wins his first playoff series

On April 29, 2009, Carmelo Anthony secured his first playoff series victory as the Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Hornets at home, with Anthony scoring a playoff career-high 34 points.

2009: Led Nuggets to Conference Finals

In 2009, Carmelo Anthony led the Denver Nuggets to their first conference finals appearance since 1985.

March 26, 2010: Anthony makes game-winning shot against Raptors

On March 26, 2010, Carmelo Anthony made a game-winning shot at the buzzer against the Toronto Raptors after missing his initial attempt.

November 15, 2010: Anthony records first 20-20 game

On November 15, 2010, Carmelo Anthony achieved his first 20-20 game, scoring 20 points and grabbing a career-high 22 rebounds against the Phoenix Suns.

November 26, 2010: Anthony hits game-winning jumper against Bulls

On November 26, 2010, Carmelo Anthony hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer against the Chicago Bulls.

2010: Led Nuggets to Playoffs

Until 2010, Carmelo Anthony led the Denver Nuggets to the playoffs every year, the team won two division titles in that span.

February 22, 2011: Anthony traded to the New York Knicks

On February 22, 2011, Carmelo Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks along with Chauncey Billups in a multi-player deal.

2011: Traded to the New York Knicks

In 2011, Carmelo Anthony was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks days before the NBA trade deadline.

2012: Won Gold Medal in Olympics

In 2012, Carmelo Anthony won a gold medal with the US national team at the Olympics.

December 31, 2012: 45 Points against Portland

On January 1, Carmelo Anthony recorded 45 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a loss to Portland. This was part of the criteria for the second Player of the Week award for games played from December 31, 2012, to January 6, 2013.

January 30, 2013: Knicks' team-record with 30 straight 20-point games

On January 30, 2013, against the Orlando Magic, Carmelo Anthony set the Knicks' team-record with 30 straight 20-point games, breaking Richie Guerin's old record of 29 games.

March 29, 2013: Victory over the Charlotte Bobcats

On March 29, 2013, Carmelo Anthony recorded 32 points and 11 rebounds in a 111–102 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

March 31, 2013: Win against the Boston Celtics

On March 31, 2013, Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win against the Boston Celtics, recording a double-double in consecutive games.

April 2, 2013: 50 points against the Miami Heat

On April 2, 2013, Carmelo Anthony tied his career high by scoring 50 points in a 102–90 win over the Miami Heat, and became the first player in NBA history to record 50+ points with no baskets in the paint.

April 7, 2013: Knicks tallied their 12th straight win

On April 7, 2013, Carmelo Anthony scored 36 points and 12 rebounds, as the Knicks tallied their 12th straight win in a 125–120 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

January 24, 2014: Career-High 62 Points

On January 24, 2014, Carmelo Anthony scored a career-high 62 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats, setting a Knicks' single-game scoring record and a Madison Square Garden single-game scoring record.

June 23, 2014: Opted out of contract

On June 23, 2014, Carmelo Anthony informed the Knicks that he would opt out of his contract and become a free agent.

July 13, 2014: Re-signed with the Knicks

On July 13, 2014, Carmelo Anthony re-signed with the Knicks to a five-year, $124 million contract.

2014: Knicks winning record at the start of the year

At the start of 2014, the Knicks went 4–1, including big wins against previous season finalists Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.

January 20, 2016: Passed Larry Bird in career points

On January 20, 2016, Carmelo Anthony recorded 30 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, while passing Larry Bird for 31st place in career points scored during the Knicks' 118–111 overtime win against the Jazz.

March 9, 2016: Passed Clyde Drexler in career scoring list

In the team's 128–97 victory against the Phoenix Suns on March 9, 2016, Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points with 7 rebounds as he passed Clyde Drexler in the career scoring list moving up to No. 29.

April 2016: US Olympic Team All-Time Leader

As of April 2016, Carmelo Anthony was the US Olympic team's all-time leader in points, rebounds, and games played.

December 9, 2016: Eclipsed 23,000 point mark

On December 9, 2016, in a game against the Sacramento Kings, Carmelo Anthony became the fifth active player to eclipse the 23,000 point mark, also becoming the 29th player in NBA history to hit the scoring milestone.

December 25, 2016: Moved past Elgin Baylor on NBA career scoring list

On December 25, 2016, in a Christmas Day game against the Boston Celtics, Carmelo Anthony moved past Elgin Baylor into 28th place on the NBA career scoring list when he scored 29 points.

2016: Third Gold Medal at the Rio Olympics

In 2016, Carmelo Anthony played in his fourth consecutive Olympics in Rio, winning his third gold medal with Team USA. He became the first player in US men's basketball history to achieve this feat and became Team USA's all-time leader in rebounds. Anthony was named co-USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year along with Kevin Durant.

January 11, 2017: Moved past Robert Parish in NBA career scoring

In a January 11, 2017, game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points to move past Robert Parish into 26th place in the NBA career scoring ladder.

January 19, 2017: Knicks-record 25 points in the second quarter

On January 19, 2017, Carmelo Anthony scored a Knicks-record 25 points in the second quarter, breaking the old record of 24 points shared by Hall of Famers Willis Reed and Allan Houston.

January 29, 2017: Season-high 45 points against the Atlanta Hawks

On January 29, 2017, Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 45 points, his first 40-point game of the season, in a quadruple-overtime 142–139 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

February 12, 2017: Moved past Charles Barkley in NBA career scoring

In the February 12, 2017, game against the San Antonio Spurs, Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 25 points to move past Charles Barkley into 25th position in the NBA career scoring list.

March 12, 2017: Scored 10,000 points for two franchises

On March 12, 2017, in a 120–112 loss to Knicks cross-town rivals Brooklyn Nets, Carmelo Anthony became only the third player to score 10,000 points for two franchises.

September 25, 2017: Trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder

On September 25, 2017, Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second-round pick.

2017: Trade Demand

In 2017, Carmelo Anthony demanded a trade due to multiple conflicts with then-team president Phil Jackson. He initially only wanted to waive his no-trade clause for the Houston Rockets, but later expanded his list to include the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

July 25, 2018: Traded to the Atlanta Hawks

On July 25, 2018, the Thunder traded Carmelo Anthony to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade. The move was primarily a cost-cutting measure for the Thunder.

August 13, 2018: Signs with the Houston Rockets

On August 13, 2018, Carmelo Anthony signed a one-year contract with the Houston Rockets, coached by his former Knicks coach, Mike D'Antoni.

November 8, 2018: Last NBA Game Before Trail Blazers

On November 8, 2018, Carmelo Anthony played his last NBA game before signing with the Trail Blazers.

2018: Thirteen Shoes Released in Melo Line

As of 2018, thirteen shoes have been released in the Melo line.

2018: Playoff drought

In 2018, it was noted that during Carmelo Anthony's seven seasons with the Knicks, the team won only one playoff series.

January 22, 2019: Traded to the Chicago Bulls

On January 22, 2019, the Rockets traded Carmelo Anthony to the Chicago Bulls. This trade allowed the Rockets to alleviate luxury-tax penalties.

November 19, 2019: Signs with the Portland Trail Blazers and Debut

On November 19, 2019, Carmelo Anthony signed with the Portland Trail Blazers. On the same day, he debuted with 10 points in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.