“Do y’all think Melo is a HOFer?”: NBA fans at odds as Carmelo Anthony gets first-ballot Hall of Fame nod

Carmelo Anthony is one of those players who embodies the 2000s to the 2010s decade of NBA basketball with 10 All-Star Game trips. While Anthony's career does not have the same amount of postseason success as his peers, he will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Anthony was informed on Wednesday that he has been voted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2025 class. Former New York Knicks forward Anthony retired in 2023 and will move into an analyst role with NBC next season.

As they usually do when a player is announced as a member of the Hall of Fame class for that year, fans on social media discussed whether or not Carmelo Anthony is worthy of being a first-ballot entry. Anthony retired with a troubled history behind him, especially during the end of his tenures with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks.

Fans are at odds over the announcement, with some saying that he doesn't deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, much less in his first year on the ballot.

"0 rings and he gets to the HOF," said one fan, pointing out Anthony's lack of a championship.

"Shot chucker who made his teams worse but congrats," complained another.

Other fans sprang to Carmelo Anthony's defense, saying that his spot in the Hall of Fame is well deserved after his 19-year career.

"9th all time in scoring, 3 gold medals, 10x all star. If you dont think thats hof worthy, you dont know ball," argued one fan.

"The greatest freshman cbb player of all time," said another, reflecting on his time at Syracuse University.

"HE COULD CREATE SPACE IN A PHONE BOOTH PEOPLE, IN A PHONE BOOTH!" praised another.

Where do Carmelo Anthony's accomplishments stand among the all-time greats?

While Carmelo Anthony lacks much of the playoff fortune some of the other Hall of Famers have amassed, he still had a historic career after being drafted in 2003, coming off a national title in college at Syracuse. Anthony is one of the greatest scorers the league has ever witnessed, sitting ninth all-time in points.

Carmelo Anthony was an excellent NBA player during his time, but a significant part of his professional basketball career might be what he did for Team USA. Anthony guided the United States to three different Olympic gold medals. He, along with Kevin Durant, is regarded as the best Team USA player of all time.

Anthony has his fans, but some naysayers hold his playoff resume and lack of passing ability against him. Some have gone as far as to say that he ruined Kobe Bryant's "Mamba Mentality" with his refusal to give the ball up when he was with the New York Knicks. Regardless of what fans call him, Anthony has earned another title: Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer.