NZ Breakers respond to reports Carmelo Anthony is joining the club

Publish Date
Tuesday, 28 May 2019, 9:39AM
Getty Images

Getty Images

A source within the Breakers organisation has quashed social media speculation NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony has signed with the NBL club.

However, the New Zealand Herald understands from local sources a "significant announcement" is due from the Breakers within the next 48 hours.

Suggestions the 10-time NBA All-Star and 2013 NBA scoring champion were published in multiple places.

Facebook page NBA Wire said Anthony and his camp had been in conversation with Breakers management.

Anthony played 10 games for the Houston Rockets this season before being traded to the Chicago Bulls on January 22. He was then waived by the Bulls on February 1.

The small forward boasts an incredible professional career but has never won an NBA championship and has fallen out of favour with NBA clubs.

View this post on Instagram

“Be-Don’t Try To Become” #STAYME7O

A post shared by Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) on

But the 34-year-old was good enough to play 78 games for the Oklahoma City Thunder as recently as the 2017-18 season and was also part of the United States team that won the 2016 Rio Olympics basketball title, his third straight gold medal.

Over his 17-season NBA career, Anthony averaged 24 points, 6.5 rebounds and three assists per game.

In 2003, he was drafted third overall in the NBA draft. He played eight seasons for the Denver Nuggets, seven for the New York Knicks, one for Oklahoma alongside New Zealander Steven Adams, and his last in the NBA with the Rockets.

Elsewhere, Australian big man Andrew Bogut recently re-signed with the Golden State Warriors following a short stint in the Australian NBL.

Bogut, who was picked first overall in the 2005 NBA draft, joined the Sydney Kings in April 2018 and was named league MVP following the latest season.

After the conclusion of the NBL season, Bogut signed with the Warriors for the rest of the current NBA season.

This article was originally published at nzherald.co.nz and is reproduced here with permission

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you