The top of the 03/04 NBA Draft class has done pretty well outside Darko, who was a mistake the minuet Detroit picked him. Why they didn't select Carmelo Anthony at the time (and now) is still a mystery. Chris Bosh and D-Wade have rings, and now Melo is the last of that group of elite players that doesn't have one.
Pictured here wearing Denver Nuggets colors on this 2010-11 Panini Rookies & Stars Basketball base card - there is no doubt he's one of the games best scoring players. I compare Carmelo's game to Paul Pierce who both need other elite players around him to win championships. By themselves they can win games and score big numbers, but need other elite scoring and defending players around them to win it all. Given that Carmelo is in New York, the ownership should give him all the tools to win. However, former NY Knicks player and HOF coach Phil Jackson was recently quoted as saying he wouldn't coach the Knicks because he didn't like how the team was put together. So the Knicks ownership and Carmelo have some work to do this off-season, and it's only going to get harder getting through Miami and Oklahoma for a ring the next couple of seasons.
