Anthony Leads Team USA to Third Straight Olympic Gold in Men’s Basketball

2016 Rio Games

Carmelo Anthony is basketball’s golden boy…

The 32-year-old half-Puerto Rican basketball star helped lead Team USA to a 96-66 win over Serbia at the 2016 Rio Games, to give the United States the gold medal in Men’s Basketball.

Carmelo Anthony & Team USA

It’s Anthony, who has won his third gold medal in four tries, says he’s done with international competition.

The New York Knicks star first represented the United States at the 2004 Athens Games when Team USA won bronze under Larry Brown.

“I knew this is the end,” Anthony told Ros Gold-Onwude on NBC moments after the team’s big win. “This is it for me. I committed to something …” Anthony then paused for 21 seconds, soaking in the cheers from the crowd. “I committed to this in ’04. I’ve seen the worst and I’ve seen the best. And I stuck with it. And we stuck with it. And I’m here today, three gold medals later. I’m just, I’m excited for me but also for the other guys who never experienced anything like this.”

Carmelo Anthony & Team USA

It’s the most emotional Anthony has ever been publicly, and it’s understandable.

Throughout his 13 years in the NBA, he has received all sorts of criticism for his teams being unable to win big. While he has been a terrific playoff performer, he has only been to the conference finals once.

On the international stage, though, Anthony has been more successful than just about anybody.

Anthony is the only male basketball player to win three Olympic gold medals. He is Team USA’s all-time leader in points, games played and rebounds at the Olympics. He can retire from the national team knowing that his dedication to USA Basketball can never be questioned.

That is unless Anthony isn’t convinced to do it all over again at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

LeBron James is around the same age as Anthony, and he has intentionally left the door open to participate, as he would like to play for new Team USA coach Gregg Popovich. Also read: Do you have a friend, kid or relative that you are looking to surprise with a basketball related gift? Well, I understand it’s a confusing and tedious process. Lucky for you I have put together a hand-picked list of the best basketball gifts for players and fans. Roadtoreno helps you to choose best gift. Chances are that they will love whichever product you will choose.

Najera Becomes First Mexican-Born NBA Head Coach

He was the first Mexican-born player drafted into the NBA… And, now Eduardo Najera has achieved another milestone: becoming the first Mexican-born head coach in the NBA.

The 36-year-old Mexican-born former power forward has accepted an offer to serve as the head coach and part owner of the D-League Texas Legends.

Eduardo Najera

In addition he’ll join Dallas Mavericks’ president of basketball operations and Legends co-owner Donnie Nelson as a key decision-maker in personnel matters.

“Eddie will be my right hand, and he’ll be assisting me in all major decisions with the Mavericks,” Nelson said Friday at Najera’s introductory news conference. “He’ll be in draft rooms and he’ll be not only selecting players with the Texas Legends, but he’ll get in involved with all the major decisions with the Dallas Mavericks as well.”

Najera spent the first four seasons of his 12-year career with Dallas as well as the 2009-10 season under coach Rick Carlisle. He finished his career with the Charlotte Bobcats under Larry Brown, who is also now in Dallas as head coach at Southern Methodist University.

Najera—who lives with his family in Frisco, where the Legends play—says it makes perfect sense to jump into a leadership role at the two organizations. And he plans for a more vocal and hands-on approach, at least initially, as Legends coach.

Eduardo Najera

“Obviously it’s a great opportunity. Donnie has done a great job with the Mavericks, and to be close to him and learning about the business side is going to be an adventure,” said Najera. “I believe that it’s a great opportunity, and more so than having an opinion, I think I’m just going to be listening to everything that is going to be going on. I’m going to be a sponge and try to learn everything that he’s throwing out at me.”

The decision to join the Mavericks and Legends on multiple levels also comes with a lofty ulterior motive for Najera: to gain sufficient experience to one day help bring an NBA team to his home country.

“I truly believe that in the ’90s, Mexico was already prepared to have a pro team, and now that I’ve gotten to know important people, politicians, it just kind of clicked,” said Najera. “I don’t want to talk about this a whole lot, but the country kind of has that bad reputation right now, but I believe that with the new change (in Mexico’s presidency) coming up, it’s going to open up that door again to eventually have an NBA franchise, of course, in Mexico.

“I’m talking about five, 10, 20 years, but it will be something that I would like to support. That’s the reason this makes perfect sense being part-owner of the Legends, being the head coach, working closely with Donnie with the Mavericks. It’s sort of a great plan, and basically I can get the experience, and so when I go down to my friends, I can say, hey, this is the way you do things, and hopefully they can buy the idea and hopefully they can make it happen.”