"We gotta put our Avengers together" - Carmelo Anthony remarks on elevated quality level of teams in Paris Olympics 

Comparisons between eras are common in NBA discussions, often favoring the era of the player speaking. However, Carmelo Anthony recently offered a candid perspective on the increased competition in the Olympics today compared to his time.

On an episode of the Point Forward podcast, Anthony, who has won three gold and one bronze medal with Team USA, stated that the level of competition has significantly strengthened.

He noted that this year, Team USA had to assemble their top players, whom he referred to as the "Avengers," to stay competitive.

"International players are damn-a** taking over the league. So now we gotta put our Avengers together to take on these other countries," Anthony said.

This year's Olympics arguably presents the toughest competition in men's basketball for Team USA. Sixty-one NBA players are on the rosters of 11 rival countries, a stark contrast to the nine NBA players the Dream Team faced in 1992.

Team USA’s roster is packed with stars, including LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, Bam Adebayo, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker and Derrick White.

Looking back at Carmelo Anthony's 37 points in 14 minutes in 2012 Olympics

Carmelo Anthony has long been renowned for his scoring ability. During the 2012 London Olympics, he delivered one of the most electrifying performances in basketball history, scoring 37 points in just 14 minutes and 29 seconds against Nigeria.

In that preliminary round match on Aug. 2, 2012, Team USA showcased its dominance, winning 156-73. Anthony's shooting was spectacular, hitting 10 of 12 from beyond the arc, contributing to the team’s total of 29 three-pointers.

In an interview with FIBA, Anthony described how it felt to be in such a hot streak.

"That game was just more like in the zone," he said. "From the minute you wake up, everything is aligned, everything feels good. No issues, no worries, the body feels good, the mind feels good. Then you go to the game and it's there.”

“You hit the first one and then you hit the second one and it's unexpected. And it's like, 'He's got it going.' And so now my teammates put me in those positions. Chris Paul was finding me. LeBron was finding me. Guys were cheering. We were up 50-something points and guys were still cheering and it was like a major part of the game."

Anthony's four Olympic medals are the most among Team USA players, and he is the second-leading scorer in Team USA history with 336 points.