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When Nuggets rookie forward Carmelo Anthony made his NBA exhibition debut last week, there was no large national media horde watching his every move. The Pepsi Center in Denver, where the game took place, was half-empty. Anthony didn't have to hold any special news conference.
Before the game, dressed in his new white Nuggets uniform, the 6-foot-8 Anthony moved freely through the hallways. A pack of TV cameras, part of an NBA documentary, followed him. But Anthony otherwise was just another rookie about to play in his first NBA preseason game.
It was a far cry from the circus that followed Cavs forward LeBron James in his debut at Detroit. There, a crowd of 20,000 nearly filled the arena and some 75 media members turned out to chronicle the scene. James' postgame news conference had to be held in a Palace hallway outside the locker room to accommodate the throng. Ticketmaster
But while King James might be getting the lion's share of hype so far this preseason, Anthony quietly has been just as impressive. The former Syracuse star, drafted No. 3 overall, is averaging 18.0 points and 5.0 rebounds over his first three games. On Wednesday night he had 16 points while matched up against Ron Artest, one of the league's best defenders, in a win at the Pacers.
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"Oh, he's nice. He's crazy nice," Suns guard Stephon Marbury told
the Denver Post after Anthony scored a team-high 19 points in his debut, a victory
over Phoenix. "He's got a lot of game, and the scary thing is he is going
to get a lot better as long as he works hard."
Like James, Anthony has drawn praise so far for his poise as much as his on-court skills. He hasn't forced the issue. He has let the game come to him, and not tried to do too much. Ticketmaster
Even in his first game, against Suns' all-star forward Shawn Marion, he displayed the coolness of an old vet. He nailed his very first shot -- a 3-pointer from the corner -- and later brought the crowd to its feet with a baseline spin move and reverse layup. He even entertained the crowd with some nifty dribbling skills while clowning with the team mascot, Rocky, during a break late in the game.
"I wasn't nervous at all," said Anthony, still sporting the corn rows and easy smile he did while leading Syracuse to last year's national title as a freshman. "I felt real comfortable out there."
So far Anthony has shown an ability to score inside and out. He has shot 50 percent from the floor (21-of-42), found open teammates with passes and hit his free throws. After Nuggets center Marcus Camby graded Anthony's debut a "C" because he only had two rebounds, the rookie went out the next game and snared 11 boards.
"He's played very well," Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "He's shooting the ball well. He can pass it extremely well. He is all about winning. He is extremely talented and strong and aggressive and skilled in the low post. He drives it well, is a very instinctive player. Ticketmaster
"I think people know he's a good player. I think people are going to see he's an outstanding player."
While the Nuggets would never admit it, they surely are watching the James hype with interest. As good as the Cavs' young savior might be, Anthony right now looks like he might be more equipped to make an immediate impact. Considering that Anthony is going to get the chance to be the go-to guy on an uptempo Nuggets team, he might even have to be considered the preseason favorite for Rookie of the Year.
Not that Anthony is even thinking about postseason awards just yet. For now he just wants to prove he can play in the NBA. He'd rather talk about his skills at X-Box and his Shar-Pei puppy "Stoney" than on the Rookie of the Year award.
Besides, Anthony is about to face some LeBron-sized hype soon. On Sunday, Oct. 19, he will take the court to a huge crowd and a big media contingent, all there to see him. The exhibition will be played at Syracuse, where Anthony is still the King.