Carmelo Anthony calls out Nuggets for giving No. 15 to Nikola Jokic: 'Petty maneuver'

Carmelo Anthony has some beef to pick with his former team, the Denver Nuggets. 

On the latest episode of his "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast with The Kid Mero, Anthony’s co-host asked him if he felt some type of way about the Nuggets giving No. 15 to Nikola Jokic, who developed into a two-time MVP and is the face of the franchise now. 

For background, Anthony was the third overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Nuggets, and he developed into an All-Star with the team that took him in at 19 years old. 

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Nikola Jokic, #15 of the Denver Nuggets, looks on during the game on Dec. 28, 2023 at the Ball Arena in Denver. (Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)

"It was a petty maneuver. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, we got numbers to choose from.’ It was like, ‘Here, you got 15.’ And y’all put Jokic in the middle of that. He don’t know what the f--- going on."

Anthony added that perhaps Jokic was trying to pay homage to his No. 15 predecessor when he chose it. 

It is worth noting, though, that Jokic was a second-round selection by the Nuggets, meaning they did not truly believe at the time he would develop into the player he is currently in the NBA. 

"He could’ve been like, ‘I want to wear 15,’ or ’15 is here, I want to wear 15. Oh, that’s Melo’s number.’ You know what I mean?" Anthony said to The Kid Mero. "Like just pay homage. I don’t know. He could’ve worn it because he wanted to pay homage. 

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"But what I believe is that they gave him 15 to try to erase what I did. I used to think about it. I don’t think about this s--- no more, though. Because what’s meant to be is meant to be." 

Anthony officially announced his retirement last summer, and some speculated that he should have the No. 15 retired instead of Jokic if both were retired. 

Carmelo Anthony, #15 of the Denver Nuggets, looks on against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Pepsi Center on May 25, 2009 in Denver. (Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Jokic is already a two-time MVP with five All-NBA designations while winning the 2023 NBA title. 

While Anthony is a prolific scorer, most of his All-Star seasons and accolades came in a New York Knicks uniform after he was traded during the 2010-11 season to the Big Apple. 

Anthony is a 10-time All-Star, collecting six All-NBA nods while also winning a scoring title for the 2012-13 season, but that was with the Knicks – not the Nuggets. 

Jokic’s career trajectory appears to be going further than Anthony, but no one can predict the future to see what the former can accomplish. 

Carmelo Anthony during an interview with host Seth Meyers on Dec. 12, 2023. (Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images)

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However, it does not appear Anthony wants anything from the Nuggets at this point following his comments on the matter.