Over the past few years, Carmelo Anthony’s professional basketball career took a path he had likely never envisioned. Anthony went from being one of the most gifted and unstoppable scorers in NBA history during his prime to a largely expendable veteran desperate for any chance to prove his worth in the NBA.

Anthony appeared on ESPN’s First Take and sat down with Stephen A. Smith for a tell-all interview. Anthony touched on a number of topics, including his current desire to still play professional basketball in the NBA.

"I felt like the game didn’t love me back at that point. … Now, I love the game too much to be away from it."

–Carmelo Anthony on his free agency

(via @FirstTake) pic.twitter.com/rCXr0ZBu5z

— ESPN (@espn) August 2, 2019

Anthony says his resilience and desire for the game was tested following his release from the Houston Rockets. Carmelo discussed his release from the club and explained how he had been brought in by GM Daryl Morey to be a difference-maker at the forward position. Instead, Anthony was relegated to a bench role and shipped away after just 10 games with Houston.

"I didn't like how that went down."

—Carmelo Anthony talks about getting released from the Rockets. pic.twitter.com/OxwyUBl2wd

— First Take (@FirstTake) August 2, 2019

But after a year of reflection, Carmelo Anthony has re-devoted himself to the game he loves. While being released by Houston took an obvious toll on his passion for basketball, Anthony says he wants another shot in the NBA, and this time is willing to adjust to any role a team may assign him.

“I want to play and I want to go and win a championship, but I also want to play. I want to get back out there on the court. I miss the game. I was away from the game for damn near a whole season. I got the opportunity to step back and grow as a person, and I deserve another shot.”

“I think it’s about me as a person willing to accept certain roles on a basketball team. Am I willing to accept a certain role on a basketball team? Yes. I’d gotten to a point in Houston where I had to accept that role, and I was just getting into accepting that role.”

Now it remains to be seen if some team would take a flyer on Carmelo Anthony before next season. While many speculate his NBA career to be firmly in the rearview, Anthony obviously has other plans.

If he were to get signed, it would be all about the fit for Anthony and what type of role he could play for the club. Anthony’s best situation may be as a scoring option off the bench and while he would probably prefer to join a contender, it will be interesting to see if any top team would risk jeopardizing their chemistry to see just how much Anthony has left in the tank.

The post Carmelo Anthony Says He Still Wants to Play in the NBA: ‘I Love the Game Too Much to be Away From It’ appeared first on Def Pen.