Anthony receive the ball, pulled up and shot. He kept repeating the same action and silently polished receive the ball shots. Although Anthony has shot more than 37 percent in three points in receive the ball for three consecutive seasons, writing a wonderful story about the transformation of the Twilight, Anthony is still not satisfied.
Of course, Anthony has reason not to be satisfied. The regular season of the new season is about to start, but Anthony is still unemployed, and there is no news about Anthony’s signing.
Anthony spent three years writing a story about the successful transformation of big-name stars in the twilight years, which became an example for Wei Shao and others. However, the story may end abruptly before it was written to the ending part. This story continues to be written or ends here, only depending on whether Anthony can be employed again.
In February, 2019, Anthony entered the darkest stage of his basketball career. In 375 days, Anthony has not stood on the NBA in his shirt. After being traded to the bull by rockets, Anthony was immediately laid off. Different from joining the rocket immediately after being laid off by the eagle, this time Anthony entered the unemployment state after being cut off.
“I asked myself, why me? There are so many people in the world, why do I have to experience this?” During that time, Anthony lived in self-doubt.
Anthony thought the nightmare would end soon. When his phone rang, he could regain his confidence. But a week passed, two weeks passed, and then a month or two months. No team called Anthony to invite him to join.
A big-name star who was selected as an All-Star for 10 times and entered the best team for 6 times. The big-name star who won the scoring king experienced two transactions and layoffs in a short time, which ruined his reputation. An executive of the Eastern team said, “I don’t know how a team that tries hard to win can integrate him. He hasn’t proved that he is willing to accept the positioning of role players, become a qualified teammate who does not cause trouble.”
During that time, Anthony didn’t even want to appear at the edge of his son’s competition. He said he felt too embarrassed and used to the spotlight. He didn’t know how to deal with those strange eyes in public.
“I had already collapsed at that time,” Anthony said. “I need to make adjustments both mentally and physically, especially mentally, I have to be stronger.”
During Anthony’s unemployment, a large number of NBA players supported him. LeBlanc James once said he believed Anthony still had combat capability. Iverson said Anthony had no reason to be forced to retire. Johnson, the famous “magician” of the Lakers, said Anthony still had a lot of oil in his tank.
However, these supportive voices can only bring Anthony psychological comfort and cannot persuade which team is willing to offer Anthony a contract. People in the industry are watching. No one is sure whether Anthony, who does not accept the substitute role in thunder and the rocket does not accept the transformation of playing style, is ready, from a ball-holding attacking-type core star to a ball-free attacking-type role player.
Until November, 2019, Anthony finally ushered in a turning point. The Pioneer line wounded soldiers full camp, general manager Orsi dialed Anthony’s phone. Orsi only offered a non-guaranteed basic salary contract, but this contract was already Anthony’s lifeline, and he chose to hold it tightly.
God is fair. When he breaks your dream with cruel reality, he will give you a mature character.
After joining the pioneer, Anthony put down his conceit and began to transform. He soon turned the non-guarantee contract into a guarantee contract. In the 2019-20 season, Anthony played 58 games and was the first one. He scored 15.4 points on average, with a three-point shooting rate. That season, Anthony had been consciously developing receive the ball shots. In the 2020-21 season, Anthony’s transformation trace was more obvious. He not only further transformed his style of play, but also accepted the substitute role. During the season, Anthony hit 40.9 percent in three points.
On May 4, 2021, Anthony scored 14 points at the milestone of the pioneer’s away match with the eagle. His regular season career total score surpassed Elvin haiers to the 10th place in history. After the game, pioneer coach Terry stoz gave official ball to Anthony as a memorial, and Anthony delivered a moving speech.
Anthony said: “Two years ago, I didn’t think I could experience this moment. At that time, no matter for what reason, I lost my job. But now that I am back, I have always been persistent and strong. I am loyal to myself. Now I am in the top 10 in the history score list.”
After the season, Anthony parted ways with the Blazers. After the Lakers got a deal, James picked up the phone and dialed Anthony. He told Anthony that the Lakers needed an elite receive the ball projector like him. This time, Anthony, who once refused James, chose to agree.
Last season, Anthony completed the ultimate transformation in the Lakers. He played 25.9 minutes as a substitute, and the number of 100 rounds of singles dropped to 1.5 times from 4.6 times in the previous season, the number of low-level attacks in 100 rounds dropped to 3.5, and the number of low-level attacks in 100 rounds dropped to 1.2. The proportion of Anthony’s ball-holding attack plummeted, but his 100-round fixed point goal attempts reached 6.3 times, the highest record since the 2015-16 season.
Anthony optimized his playing style and shooting choices, and his attack efficiency improved. Lakers general manager Pelinka said Anthony was one of the strongest players in the league receive the ball in recent years. Spurs coach Popovich baby sighed with emotion that Anthony was the kind of player who could always make trouble for his opponents. James said, “he is a sniper. He doesn’t need much space at all. His shooting speed is very fast.”
In the chaotic season of the Lakers, Anthony was a rare highlight. He played well in many sessions. For example, on November 9, 2021, he hit the Hornets. Anthony hit the key three points in overtime and shot his opponent with seven three points. This season, the Lakers won all the seven games in which Anthony scored at least 23 points in a single game.
Anthony attacked the city and pulled out the village on the field, and put out the fire everywhere under the field. Throughout the season, the Lakers’ problems continued. When the key moment of Wei Shao was abandoned by Vogel’s to become the focus, Anthony comforted Wei Shao in a tone of past people and advised him not to get into a corner. When Vogel’s got involved in the crisis after class and everyone else kept silent, it was Anthony who stood up to help Vogel’s speak. He thought that the coach should not take the blame for the team’s poor record.
A Lakers insider praised Anthony as the “ultimate veteran” and he has completely got rid of the negative comments in the past. But during the off-season this year, when Anthony became a free agent again, there was still no team extending an olive branch to him.
Anthony only needs 308 points to surpass O’Neal, rising to eighth in the history score list, and he still needs 1711 points to become the eighth 30,000 points in history. Anthony is still waiting for the opportunity, and he also knows that the story may not have a fairy tale ending if it continues to be written, but at least, he wants to finish it by himself.
“I can still do the things I did before at a very high level, but first of all, I am still full of passion for this sport, and I have not lost my passion.”