Carmelo Anthony’s former coach sets aside beef to congratulate him on Hall of Fame enshrinement: “One of the best scorers in basketball history”

September 4, 2025

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This weekend, Carmelo Anthony will see his name enshrined among the all-time greats in basketball history. Ahead of this historic achievement, one of his former coaches took to social media to congratulate the star forward.

Earlier this year, Anthony was announced to the Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2025. Other inductees include Dwight Howard, Maya Moore and the 2008 U.S. Men’s Olympic team (which Anthony was part of).

Since being named to the Hall of Fame class, many have taken the time to applaud Anthony for this feat. The latest to do so was longtime NBA head coach George Karl. He posted a photo of himself and Anthony on X (formerly Twitter), along with a heartfelt message.

"Melo’s Hall of Fame enshrinement is well deserved this weekend," Karl wrote. "Carmelo Anthony is one of the best scorers in basketball history and should be celebrated. I’m happy for him!"

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Karl's post is rather shocking, given his history with Anthony. He coached the star forward for years on the Denver Nuggets, where they had a bit of a rocky relationship. Their feud only grew over time, with both sides taking shots at each other over the years.

Despite how things have unfolded, Karl still managed to put all that aside and give Anthony his flowers as he gears up to enter the Hall of Fame.

George Karl has long wanted to bury the hatchet with Carmelo Anthony

Karl's latest post is far from the first time he's attempted to extend an olive branch to Carmelo Anthony. Now that time has passed, he wants to bury the hatchet with his former superstar.

Around this time last year, Karl made a different emotional post about the soon-to-be Hall of Famer. He told the world he no longer wants to feud with Anthony and hopes they can repair their fractured relationship.

"In a time of division, where coming together truly matters, I’m done feuding with Carmelo Anthony. I have tremendous respect for Melo. We don’t know each other now but I hear he’s kicking butt and using his influence for positive impact. It’s all love now from here out."

Things were rocky from the beginning between these two, and Karl is to blame for that. When he took over as coach of the Nuggets in 2004, he famously called Anthony overrated. Though they still managed to have a lot of success together in Denver, they were never able to build a strong bond.

Only time will tell if Anthony is willing to put the past behind him and reconcile with his former coach.

About the author

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in journalism and a bachelor's degree in Sports Management Marketing from Holy Family University.

Kevin has worked with various notable outlets throughout his career, including 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, Heavy Sports, and Sports Illustrated/FanNation, before joining Sportskeeda in March 2022.

Specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage, Kevin's passion for basketball stems from his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Among his favorite players are Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, and Steph Curry, while his all-time favorites include Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Kevin holds Coach K in high regard for the large input he's had on the game helping mold players across multiple generations. Kevin believes the iconic rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped elevate the league to its current status.

Through his writing, Kevin provides in-depth analysis and insights into player and coach quotes. He prioritizes sourcing information from credible and reliable outlets.

Kevin enjoys reading, aiming to finish at least one book per month, and he is a big fan of music.

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