Carmelo Anthony is still astounded by the first conversation he had with George Karl.
Karl became head coach of the Nuggets in the middle of the 2004-05 season, Anthony’s second campaign in the NBA.
Anthony appeared on the “7pm to Brooklyn” podcast and was reminiscing on how the two had a conflict-filled relationship that started that way from the jump.
“We was going to have issues,” Anthony began.
Anthony explained that Karl’s first game coaching the Nuggets was going to be against the Bucks, whom Karl had a fractious split with and was out for revenge.
“We get to Milwaukee. After shootaround, he called me to his room and was like, ‘Hey, I think you’re overrated. You have a lot of work to do.'”
Anthony recalled his mindset at the time.
“He started that narrative … Look, I know I’ve got a long way to go in this league. But my man, you just got here!” Anthony said.
Anthony then remembered Karl saying his role on the team would be like Detlef Schrempf’s was under Karl on the Seattle SuperSonics, as podcast host Kid Mero was in disbelief.
Schrempf probably didn’t deserve to catch shrapnel here, as he was a three-time All-Star and at his peak made an All-NBA team.
In any event, Karl saw the clip and jokingly asked Anthony to let old wounds heal.
Warning: Graphic language
“Hey @carmeloanthony let’s not do this. You’re telling stories that are 20 years old. Let’s move fwd,” Karl tweeted with a flexing emoji.
“And u were overrated and u wish your game was as efficient as Detlef’s,” Karl concluded with a laugh, and Anthony responded with a number of laughing emojis in return.
The two would remain together in Denver until Anthony was traded to the Knicks during the 2010-11 season.