Jamal Murray makes it clear which No. 15 the Nuggets should retire
May 24, 2023, 2:02 PM
Carmelo Anthony is one of the most legendary athletes in Denver sports history, but he’s not even the best No. 15 to play for the Denver Nuggets.
Melo was drafted third in the unprecedented 2003 NBA Draft class out of Syracuse, where he won a national title. He went on to be one of the most accomplished basketball players on a global stage but could never get it done in the NBA and only went on one postseason run while in Denver. His time in the Mile High ended with a bad falling out where he was eventually traded for the pick the Nuggets used to select Jamal Murray.
The now-star Nuggets guard was on ESPN on Wednesday ahead of the club’s first-ever trip to the NBA Finals where he was asked by former Nugget Richard Jefferson about retiring Melo’s number.
The issue with hanging up Melo’s number is it’s the same digit now worn by Nikola Jokic, who is unarguably the greatest player in franchise history. Jokic has worn No. 15 his entire career, through two MVPs, First-Team NBA nominees and All-Star starts.
“Melo or Jokic, which jersey has to be retired,” Jefferson asked.
“That’s tough man,” Murray said. “I’m going to go with my guy Yok (Jokic.)”
Fair enough for Murray to choose his dance partner. But will the Nuggets pick both Melo and Jokic like the Broncos did No. 18 for both Frank Tripucka and Peyton Manning? Only time will tell but we’re still in Jokic’s prime and he’s already topped Melos’ accomplishments with Maxie on his chest while laying waste to most of Nuggets history before this era. Jokic has passed Melo and is nearly at the top of essentially every stat in Nuggets history.
Melo hung them up for good earlier this week, the same day Jokic clinched the trip to the Finals.
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