Rich Paul explains why LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony were never a rivalry

Rich Paul said the long-discussed idea of ​​rivalry between Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and the Hall of Fame Carmelo Anthony never fully materialized, stating the circumstances of the league and not an individual competition.

On the latest episode of Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul, Paul explained that discussions surrounding James and Anthony often ignore the structural realities created by the 2003 NBA Draft. According to Paul, on one occasion The Detroit Pistons selected Darko Milicic with the 2nd overall pickthe conditions necessary for a sustainable rivalry no longer existed.

“It has nothing to do with Carmelo or LeBron’s basketball,” Paul said. “That’s actually what they don’t control. And this is what people don’t understand. The moment the Detroit Pistons decide to take Darko Milicic, the rivalry is dead. Because now we see each other four times a year. You beat me, I’ll beat you.”

Paul’s point focused less on how often James and Anthony faced each other and more on the absence of shared roles. While they met regularly during the season, they rarely crossed paths in conference-defining moments, playoff runs or championship runs over an extended period.

A hypothetical Pistons landing could have changed Carmelo Anthony’s legacy

Max Kellerman expanded on that idea by pointing to a hypothetical scenario in which Anthony landed in Detroit rather than Denver.

“Actually, if he went to Detroit, he’d be kneeling on LeBron,” Kellerman said.

Paul agreed, noting how dramatically the context of the team could change Anthony’s career trajectory.

“Of course because they had the better team,” Paul said.

While Detroit had not yet won its 2004 NBA Championship at the time of the 2003 draft, the Pistons were already built around veterans entering the 2003–04 season. That foundation quickly resulted in a title and multiple deep playoff runs, making Detroit one of the dominant teams in the Eastern Conference during the early part of James’ career. Had Anthony been drafted into that environment, he would have entered the league on a winning streak in the same conference as James, potentially creating repeat postseason appearances and a more realistic path to a championship during his prime.

The conversation echoed recent comments from former NBA guard Brandon Jennings, who said at Gill’s Arena that Anthony never a true rival James despite frequent comparisons throughout their careers.

LeBron James dominated NBA matchups after an early showdown with Anthony

That conclusion contradicts the early history of the player. Before entering the NBA, James and Anthony shared an anticipated matchup in high school in Trenton, New Jersey. Anthony’s Oak Hill Academy defeated James St. Vincent–St. Maria Gymnasium 72–66. Anthony finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds, while James had 36 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

At the NBA level, James has largely controlled the outcome of the direct game. He posted a 22–14 record against Anthony in regular season games, averaging 25.8 points, 7.7 assists, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 50.2% from the field and 28.6% from 3-point range. Anthony averaged 21.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 42% from the field and 34.9% from beyond the arc.

Their postseason meetings were limited to two series in the first round. James’ Miami Heat defeated Anthony’s New York Knicks 4–1 in 2012, and James’ Los Angeles Lakers defeated Anthony’s Portland Trail Blazers by the same margin in 2020. In 10 playoff games, James averaged 27.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.1 rebounds, while James averaged 7.6 rebounds and 6 assists.

The two of them at the end became teammates during the 2021–22 season with the Lakers, Anthony’s final year in the NBA — emphasizing Paul’s argument that their careers ran more in parallel than in rivalry.