Remember former New York Knicks wing and Team USA legend Carmelo Anthony? Well, turns out the blossoming podcaster known as Melo would rather keep their three gold medals instead of flipping those for an alternative career path in which he would have won an NBA championship.

That’s what Anthony told Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews during an interview published on August 9. Urbonas asked Melo if he would trade his three Olympic gold medals for an NBA ring, and Melo’s answer made it clear he’s truly committed to winning medals for Team USA over adding Larry O’Bs to the shelves of this or that franchise.

“No (I wouldn’t trade the Olympic golds for an NBA title). When we talk about global sport, for me a medal means something totally different than an NBA championship. They both have their own separate meanings, but winning a gold medal, it’s the passion, it’s the pride that you have, not just for a city or a state, for a whole nation, for a whole country you’re winning for. It’s a different level of pride that you have to have when you’re wearing USA across your chest.” — Carmelo Anthony

Truth be told, Melo is one of the most decorated and best Team USA players ever, with his Olympic achievements and exploits barely matched.

Melo won three gold medals between the 2008 Beijing Games, the 2012 London Olympics, and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, tying him with LeBron James for the second-most gold medals in Team USA history after LBJ earned gold earlier this month in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Only Kevin Durant, also winning the medal this year, has more golds than Melo and LBJ in Team USA’s history.

In addition to his medals, Anthony also ranks third in total points scored for Team USA, with 336 points across four Olympic appearances. Talk about the stuff of legends, folks.

Melo racked up All-Star nods (10 of them), got named to the second and third All-NBA teams multiple times, made the NBA 75th Anniversary team, and won the 2013 scoring title, but that was it for him in the L—and that’s been kind to him in terms of listing a bunch of good-not-great accolades.

The thing for Anthony is that he never got over the proverbial hump throughout his 19-year NBA career. He got to play for the Denver Nuggets and topped at reaching the Western Conference Finals. He joined the New York Knicks during his prime but never got past the Eastern Conference Semifinals. And after that, he played for the Thunder, Rockets, Blazers, and Lakers to no postseason success either.

Reflecting on his Olympic career, Anthony expressed that his final appearance at the 2016 Rio Games was the culmination of his journey in international basketball.

“It was like, this is it,” he recalled. “I went full circle in international play, and this is it. To be able to put that perspective in, and losing, and winning, you have to grind it back, the journey of getting to that point, where I could just say, okay, I’ve done what I had to do in 16 years.” — Carmelo Anthony.

Most recently, Melo became a FIBA Global Ambassador for the 2023 World Cup played last summer while he keeps getting reps in the podcast circuit with his 7PM in Brooklyn series along with writer and comedian Kid Mero.