In the rafters of the hallowed walls of Madison Square Garden hang several retired jerseys symbolizing the greatest players and coach in the New York Knicks’ history. There’s Walt Frazier’s 10, Dick Barnett’s 12, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe’s 15,  Willis Reed’s 19, Dave DeBusschere’s 22,  Bill Bradley’s 24, Patrick Ewing’s 33, and Red Holzman's 613 representing his coaching wins. 

It doesn’t take long to notice that there is one glaring omission among the retired jerseys: Carmelo Anthony.

Without question, Carmelo Anthony, the first-ballot Naismith Hall of Famer, 10th on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 28,289 points, and the winner of three Olympic gold medals, deserves to have his jersey retired. His accomplishments speak for themselves. During his prime, he was a one-on-one, scoring phenom known for his stout postup game and his mastery of the midrange. His exploits on the court made him one of the best players of his generation. 

To clarify the argument, let’s revisit how Anthony became a Knick.

As the NBA trade deadline was nearing an end in February 2011, Anthony, who was in the final year of his contract with the Denver Nuggets and had made it clear he wanted to play in New York, was the centerpiece of a blockbuster three-team, twelve-player deal. In the deal, the Knicks acquired Anthony and veteran guard Chauncey Billups from the Nuggets, trading Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, and Timofey Mozgov. The Nuggets also received a 2014 first-round pick and a 2016 first-round pick swap from the Knicks, which they used to draft Jamal Murray. After playing his freshman year at Syracuse, where he led the Orangemen to their only NCAA title in 2003, the Knicks were bringing Anthony back to New York.

At the time, Anthony was at the peak of his powers. In the 2009-2010 NBA season,  Anthony averaged 28.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game across 69 games. He also shot 45.8% from the field and 31.6% from three-point range. In the playoffs, he played six games and averaged 30.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. Adding a player of Anthony’s caliber to the team immediately brought the Knicks back to respectability across the league.

Many believe that the only reason Anthony’s jersey isn’t in the rafters is because he didn’t have playoff success, a common refrain that isn’t his fault. Injuries to key players and incompetent team management helped derail the team’s potential. Anthony and the Knicks made the playoffs three times: in the 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13 seasons for a total of 21 playoff games, winning only one playoff series. In those series, Melo's brilliance as a player was on full display, but even he could not overcome all-time great teams like Kevin Garnett’s Boston Celtics and LeBron James’ Miami Heat. In the playoffs, Melo put up 28.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.

During his tenure with the Knicks, Anthony propelled the team from a laughingstock to a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. He led the Knicks in scoring for seven consecutive seasons, won the NBA scoring title in 2013, made the All-Star team in each of his six full years with the team, and was a finalist for MVP in the 2012-13 season.

Due to Anthony’s strained relationships with the Nuggets and Nikola Jokić, another all-time great who currently wears the number 15, Melo may have the dubious distinction of being one of the most accomplished players to not have his jersey retired. The Knicks could change that in an instant. In his own words, Melo would be honored to have his number retired by the Knicks.

"I would love to see that, man," Anthony told Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. "For me, it’s like, why wait? You know, it’s why wait? If you got to think about it, then cool, just let it be ... I would like to see that jersey in both rafters, Denver and New York.”

Carmelo Anthony's jersey deserves to be retired by the New York Knicks for his transformative impact on the franchise after a decade of futility. Before Melo arrived at MSG, the Knicks were a mediocre squad with a troubled front office; no one was paying them any attention. Single-handedly, Melo brought them back to relevance and turned Madison Square Garden, basketball’s mecca, back into a destination for die-hard fans and celebrities alike. No. 7 is worthy to retire among the pantheon of other Knicks greats.