Carmelo Anthony Offers to Be Big Bro to Knicks' Lottery Pick
Carmelo Anthony wants to do everything he can to make life easier for New York Knicks' rookie Kristaps Porzingis—even if that means being a big brother to the European baller and taking him under his wing.
"I kind of feel bad for him because there's so much pressure on him at this point and this guy hasn't played not even one minute in the NBA," Anthony told ESPN during the Knicks' media day Monday. "I'm going to try to be a big brother to him and kind of take the pressure off of him a little bit. It's something that he never experienced before, so this is new to him. To be a newcomer to this game, to this league, in New York, that's tough. I don't know if he knows what he's about to get himself into, so I kind of have to be that wall for him."
Melo also did his part to once again deny original reports that he was upset with the Knicks tabbing Porzingis with the fourth overall selection.
"We got him at No. 4. So what I think at this point is a little bit irrelevant. I've showed everybody that I've supported that pick," Anthony said. "I've showed everybody that I've supported Porzingis. As long as me and KP know our relationship, that's all that really matters. It doesn't matter what somebody else might speculate out there."
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The 31-year-old Anthony is coming off major knee surgery and heading into his 13th NBA season, desperately trying to make the Knicks a contender again.
The Knicks are coming off a brutal 17-win season last year.
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