Oh look ESPN and another poll

[cusetown1]

Is Carmelo Anthony a selfish player?

• ​
  64%​
  Yes
• ​
  36%​
  No

(Total votes: 35,156)

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

George Karl didn't help when he pretty much said the same thing after Melo left..."Now guys share the ball, the ball doesnt stop. It's more of a team environment here now."

 

[armory]

Was Michael Jordan a selfish player?

 

[OrangeCrush22]

When you're one of the best players in the NBA, it's a little hard not to have the ball in your hands frequently.

 

[Flacusian]

This is a topic that has been predominant on ESPN radio shows. Carmelo is primarilly a guy who scores the ball. That requires getting a lot of touches. Carmelos lack of dedication to playing defense contributes to the perception that he is selfish. He is undoubtedly one of the best players in the league yet he gets a lot of bad press for whatever reason.

 

[PoppyHart]

Was Michael Jordan a selfish player?

Michael Jordan was also one of the best defensive guards of his era, and his will to do whatever necessary to win is unparalleled imo.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

I think it comes down to a shooting percentage thing too. Melo is shooting 40% from the field. When you aren't making them, you look even more selfish...especially when you don't play good defense either.

Whereas Lebron shoots 55% from the floor. It's basically impossible to call anyone selfish (in the negative sense) who shoots 55% from the field and gets you 7-8 dimes per night.

 

[jekelish]

I'm not sure what's so egregious about this poll. It's a hot topic right now, and as much as I hate to say it, it's worthy of discussion because Melo absolutely needs to dominate the ball. WE all know he can be a great teammate and a great passer, but he's fit into the "I need to be the primary scorer at all times and work iso sets every time I touch the ball" mold (which is part of what makes the NBA so crappy to watch, by the way), and that's the way he's been playing since he was drafted.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

I wish Melo would have looked better playing that point forward role. I understand, he's not Lebron or Scottie Pippen.. but I thought he would have looked better running point forward. He looked like a fish out of water...and slow.

 

[phil77]

Is Kevin Durant a selfish player? Because Melo shoots less and averages more assists then him?

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Is Kevin Durant a selfish player? Because Melo shoots less and averages more assists then him?

Durant is shooting over 50% from the floor. If you are hitting at that rate (as mostly a long jump shooter)...no one is going to call you selfish.

 

[phil77]

Durant is shooting over 50% from the floor. If you are hitting at that rate (as mostly a long jump shooter)...no one is going to call you selfish.

Why? So you are only selfish if you are going through a shooting slump? You aren't a selfish player if you are hitting at a decent %. If Melo was shooting 47% or whatever it was for the first 10-15 games of the season then this would never come up? This label has followed Melo his whole career no matter what he is shooting.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Why? So you are only selfish if you are going through a shooting slump? You aren't a selfish player if you are hitting at a decent %. If Melo was shooting 47% or whatever it was for the first 10-15 games of the season then this would never come up? This label has followed Melo his whole career no matter what he is shooting.

I'm a very big melo fan and have followed his pro career closely. He was a pretty selfish player in Denver, but no one cares or pays attention to whats happening in Denver. I don't think there is any doubt. He came into New York trying to be the savior and he couldn't do it on his own..

The good news is, he has time and plenty of help to turn things around. A deep run in the playoffs has a way of helping your cache (unless you are Lebron James).

 

[orangefan13]

The guy is a PF in a SF's body with a stroke of a average SG.
And he tried playing a point forward role last year quite a bit instead of shooting.

Who cares what people think.

 

[longtimefan]

I think it comes down to a shooting percentage thing too. Melo is shooting 40% from the field. When you aren't making them, you look even more selfish...especially when you don't play good defense either.

Whereas Lebron shoots 55% from the floor. It's basically impossible to call anyone selfish (in the negative sense) who shoots 55% from the field and gets you 7-8 dimes per night.

Carmelo's shooting pct. is down this year in large part because he has had to play out of position (trying to initiate as a point-forward). His career pct. is slightly better than Kobe's, and about .035 behind Lebron's. And he rivals Kobe as a clutch shooter (14 game-winners vs 16).

 

[slidingdown]

He left SU after one year. We coulda been champs 4 years running if he'd stayed. He left for a paycheck. I call that selfish.

Smart, but selfish.