Nicolas Batum has spent 17 seasons in the NBA, which means he has battled against some of the most fearsome and memorable players of all time.
He can remember numerous opponents who felt impossible to slow down, but one player was tougher than the rest.
Batum recently said that Carmelo Anthony was a nightmare to defend and made his first days in the NBA very memorable.
“Denver Melo was crazy. At the beginning of my career, so I was young, was skinny, and I was starting, but asked to guard the best opponent. Denver Melo, I would say he had everything. He was strong. Post up, drives, threes, pull up, iso, jab, turnaround, bully ball, everything. He’s the toughest guy I had to guard in my career,” Batum said.
„He’s the toughest guy I had to guard in my career.“
– Nic Batum on Carmelo Anthony
(🎥 @OldManAndThree )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 1, 2025
Anthony’s tenure with the Denver Nuggets is still the stuff of legends, and people talk about it to this day.
He came into the league in 2003-04 and immediately got to work.
He was runner-up for Rookie of the Year, falling behind LeBron James, and averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
Over the next few years, he honed his skills and became one of the most explosive players in the league.
By the time Batum joined the NBA in 2008-09, Anthony was at the height of his powers and was a two-time All-Star.
Batum was a member of the Portland Trail Blazers for seven seasons and battled Anthony many times.
Again and again, he was left in awe of Anthony’s physicality, speed, and shooting skills.
Batum isn’t the only NBA star who was blown away by Anthony during his many years in the league.
He may not have ever won a championship, but he was the sort of player who created headaches for everyone he met on the court.
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