Carmelo Anthony Thinks He Inspired LeBron James to Return to Cleveland

In a Q&A with former NY Giants star Michael Strahan, Carmelo Anthony says the adulation he received from New York Knicks fans after forcing his way out of Denver back in 2011, helped embolden LeBron James to leave South Beach behind.

James, of course, re-joined the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer, followed by Melo re-upping with the Knicks for five more seasons. Per Ad Week:

Strahan: [On being a pro athlete in New York] Not only on the court, but off the court, you’re the leader. Everything you do is more scrutinized. You have to be more careful than anybody else. And watching LeBron [James] go back to Cleveland, did that affect your decision on staying in New York, and did you learn anything from watching LeBron go back home?

 

Anthony: No. Honestly, I think it was the other way around. I think he saw when I came back home to New York and saw the response and saw the reaction and saw how at peace I was when I came back home. … I’m pretty sure he looked at that moment and saw that that was a very special moment, and he had the opportunity to go back home himself and regain that love.

 

Anthony: With those fans, you know, who kind of disowned him a couple of years ago …so now he’s back home and … Yeah, so he’s at peace now.