Carmelo Anthony revealed he nearly played for Puerto Rico in the 2004 Olympics before committing to Team USA, sharing the story with Dwyane Wade in a recent conversation. The former NBA star said he visited Puerto Rico and considered representing the island, but ultimately chose the United States to pursue the highest level of international competition.
“At the time, Puerto Rico basketball wasn’t it,” Anthony said, via HoopsHype. “They were good, had great players, but I wanted USA Basketball. The prestige. The highest honor at that point.” The decision came after Anthony’s rookie NBA season, when opportunities to play for the U.S. were more limited due to many top players opting out of the 2004 squad.
Anthony described the moment he realized he would compete in the Olympics for the U.S. as a defining step in his career. “Right after that, I get the call for ’04 Olympics… Everybody opted out. It was only a couple people left. They call us. Oh, hell yeah. I’m playing,” he said.
Team USA suffered a shocking 92-73 loss to Puerto Rico in pool play, marking one of the biggest upsets in Olympic basketball history. Anthony said he wasn’t on the court for that game but recalled the experience vividly. “I wasn’t pissed off because I wanted to play. I knew what I was up against… We were hooping in exhibition, and then we get to match up with Puerto Rico… I got to play today. Yo, we got to get them,” he said.
The 2004 U.S. team ultimately finished with a bronze medal, falling short of the gold that had been expected for the United States in Athens. Despite the setback, Anthony went on to become a mainstay for Team USA in future Olympics, helping secure gold medals in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
The moment also became iconic off the court, with images of a young Anthony on the sideline becoming widely circulated. “It was crazy, man. That was the image that they put out. I have that image in my crib just on the sideline. That’s where this stuff started,” he said.
