AJK34
Years ago
CARMELO ANTHONY RUMOURED TO HAVE SIGNED FOR NBL TEAM
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2019/05/27/report-carmelo-anthony-rumoured-to-have-signed-for-nbl-team/?fbclid=IwAR1lzsD77amntTv0kM6zZ1HcRLwCJ9EEyraEufiXh2U_l0PqZn_rMjtFArs
In what would be a huge coup for the NBL, 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony is rumoured to have signed to play with the New Zealand Breakers, according to a report.
Breakers owner Matt Walsh recently said the club has a major "global" announcement looming, according to stuff.co.nz.Anthony was taken at pick three by the Denver Nuggets in the 2003 NBA Draft. He has spent 17 seasons in the NBA (eight with Denver, seven with New York, one with Oklahoma City and one with Houston), where he averages 24 points, 6.5 rebounds and three assists across his 1064 game-career.He was the NBA scoring champion in 2013 and won three Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012, 2006) for Team USA.
After 10 games with the Rockets this season, 'Melo', 34, was traded to Chicago on January 22, before being waived by Houston on February 1.
Led by former Breaker Kevin Braswell, New Zealand missed the playoffs in 2018/19 after finishing sixth with a 12-16 record.
They have since lost superstar import Kevin Long, who has announced he won't be re-signing, and brilliant forward Tai Wesley, who has joined the newly-formed South East Melbourne Phoenix.
There has been speculation during the off-season that the Breakers are in trouble, but Walsh insisted that's not the case.
"The Breakers have always been a team that's punched above our weight, and we feel we're ready to take the next step," Walsh told stuff.co.nz.
"We view ourselves as a big club just like Melbourne and Sydney, and we're prepared to spend like that.
"We have an ownership group who wants to invest in the team, we have our feet under us after our first year, and we're going to back that up.
"It's going to be an exciting year. A lot of work is going into the basketball and business side and our fans should keep an eye out for some big news the next seven days."
Shawn Marion, who enjoyed a glittering NBA career, winning the 2010/11 NBA Championship alongside Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki at the Dallas Mavericks, as well as being a four-time NBA All-Star, is a member of Breakers Basketball Ltd, which became the new majority shareholders of New Zealand last year.
