Carmelo Anthony: 'LeBron told me the time is now' / News - Basketnews.com

Carmelo Anthony is entering his 18th season in the NBA without a championship ring. However, this may soon change because the three-time Olympic champion will finally play alongside LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers next season.

Anthony said that it was LeBron that convinced him to take his talents to Los Angeles: "Yo, the time is now. I want you. We got to make this happen. And I just felt like for right now, this is the best time," he told reporters during his introductory news conference on Monday.

James was the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft, while Anthony was selected No. 3 during the same draft. Even though the two are great friends, they had only played together with Team USA and never teamed up in the NBA.

"Most people would say we should've gotten together years ago early in our careers, but we were in two different lanes, we were on two different paths. And everything comes full circle, I'll say."

Anthony was asked whether he has any concerns regarding the age of the Lakers team. The 10-time All-Star told reporters that he is not worried about the squad's longevity: "I like when people talk about the age. It gives a better story. I think it gives a better story. I think people forget, at the end of the day, it's about basketball. You got to know how to play basketball. You got to have that experience. I think that's what we bring at this point and time. Our talent, our skill, but also our experience."

Even though Anthony never made it to the NBA finals in his 13 playoff appearances, he is coming to Los Angeles with a sole purpose: to win a championship.

"I'm coming in with a championship on my mind," Anthony said. "I think we all know that this is the one thing that I'm missing, right? This is the one thing that it keeps me up at night, it motivates me because I don't have it. I want that experience."

Carmelo was often in topics of discussion regarding his willingness to take on a bench role in the NBA. This time, he is not only teaming up with a superstar like LeBron James but also Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. However, he seems ready to sacrifice for the team.

"I had to swallow that ego. I had to swallow that pride," Anthony said. "But I also had to use that ego and that pride to keep me on edge and keep me motivated. And I've accepted that. It played out well in Portland. Again, that was my first time doing it and experiencing that at that level. But I enjoyed it. It was fun, it was basketball, and I was still able to do my thing and play ball and have fun and have the love for the game again."

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