Carmelo Anthony made his Trail Blazers debut Tuesday night, scoring 10 points as a starter in a 115-104 road loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Anthony, 35, says “what’s important” is that he’s back in the NBA and trying to avoid looking too far ahead.
The 10-time NBA All-Star appreciates being “wanted” by a desperate and strugglien Portland squad.
Per The AP:
“I came to a point where I was willing to accept it either way,” Anthony said after playing the first game of his 17th season with his sixth NBA team on Tuesday night. “I had to get myself mentally prepared for that and I did, to be honest with you.
“I stayed with it, but there was times where I didn’t want to. I wanted to just say, ‘Forget it, move on with my life, spend more time with my family.’ I started getting more comfortable with that,” Anthony continued. “I come into this game with a totally different mindset, totally different motivation.”
For the time being, the 35-year-old Anthony is steering clear of setting expectations.
“Who knows? I don’t think anyone knows what’s going to happen this year,” he said. “I’m here now. That’s what’s important. I could have still been home, right? So, Portland pulled the trigger. No matter what happens, I will always appreciate that.
“I have a new outlook,” he added. “For me, where I’m at, mentally, emotionally, the way I see things now, the way I approach the game, the way I approach this situation is more so me just having another different appreciation of just what this is and what the game of basketball brings.”
