In a rather dense Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Bucks finally managed to turn the air of anxiousness around. Gary Trent Jr. and Giannis Antetokounmpo would explode for a 37-point performance each, and Doc Rivers had something to show for the team the Bucks had been at the beginning of the season. But for the thrills and exclamations it induced, one issue glared. The big trade deadline move for Kyle Kuzma wasn’t aging well. What felt like a solid addition, now seems like a head-scratcher. So Carmelo Anthony decided not to sit idle.
Before the two-man show, securing a 117-101 win, sole heavy lifting was what it was in Milwaukee. The supporting cast reeled while Antetokounmpo dropped in 30s, letting the series slide 0-2. The bigger disappointment? The franchise key February acquisition, Kuzma. So after that rough Game 1 performance, Melo stepped in with some classic OG advice for the Bucks, especially for the forward.
When the Bucks traded Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma, the plan was to grab a versatile scorer who could shoot and defend. It made sense at the time. But after that Game 1 performance, he turned in what people are calling one of the worst postseason games by a starter ever. 22 minutes on the floor. Zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists. Not even a hustle stat to brag about. If it wasn’t for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the final score would’ve looked way uglier. That’s exactly why Carmelo Anthony is speaking up. Melo believes now’s the perfect time for Kuzma to pick himself up and rewrite the narrative.
On a recent episode of 7PM in Brooklyn, Carmelo Anthony got real about the whole Kyle Kuzma situation in Milwaukee. He pointed out how the forward joined the squad late, and that missing chemistry is hurting them when it counts most. As Melo put it, “You’re (Kyle Kuzma) not part of the plan, you came late, so now it’s a rush plan, so now you got to figure out.”
Sure enough, if Kyle doesn’t manage to find his rhythm back, the Bucks would be in a real mess. But he has faith in this NBA champ. As Carmelo said, “What we seeing from Kyle is, he got to rely on his skill set to do something else and bring something different that stands out.”
So far, it’s been the Giannis Antetokounmpo show. The big man’s carrying this team on his back through every possession. Even in Game 2, Giannis led the way with 34 points, 18 rebounds, and seven assists, but fell short against Pascal Siakam’s offence. Carmelo Anthony believes, and rightfully so, that one guy can’t do it alone. He believes Milwaukee needs two more heroes to show up and help Giannis out. In Game 3, one was Trent. But before he dropped record-tying nine three-pointers, and the Bucks saw their very first playoff game with two players scoring 35+, Melo was calling for Damian Lillard.
The other, whether fans like it or not, is Kyle Kuzma.
Carmelo broke it down perfectly: “Now Giannis is so he’s speeding, whereas Dame got to even catch up and he’s not there on a catch-up on the court up tip, and KS is so far behind Dame on the court…” And honestly, you can feel that gap watching them play. The disconnect between those three is way too obvious right now. While Lillard managed 14 and 7 points in the last two games, Kuzma’s read: 0, 12, and 9.
While Game 3 ended with better results, it won’t sustain if the two fail to show up consistently. While the Bucks try to figure it out, Melo is gearing up for the next season. The 2025 draft early entry just closed, and he has got a few special things to say about the prospects; or one of them at least.
Carmelo Anthony weighs in on Cooper Flagg’s rise to stardom
Cooper Flagg is surely making his presence felt. This 6-foot-9 freshman from Duke has already achieved something that’s gonna shape his future. He became the first freshman ever named Maine’s Gatorade Player of the Year after posting ridiculous averages of 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game. Now, as the top-rated prospect for the 2025 NBA Draft, he’s drawing comparisons to some of the game’s greatest.
One of those comparisons is our Carmelo Anthony. Twenty-two years ago, Melo led Syracuse to an NCAA championship as a freshman. Now Flagg is aiming to do the same at Duke, and Anthony believes he has a real shot. “I think what we’re seeing with Cooper is, he has some similarities to the run that I had,” Carmelo said, reflecting on his own freshman year while speaking to Media after being named to the Naismith Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
Flagg, who won the Wooden Award and AP Player of the Year honors, is projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after reclassifying and turning 18 this past December. And Carmelo thinks that the fact that many college players are older will only help prepare Flagg for the NBA grind. Carmelo believes, “He’s already making the impact. In college, guys are 26, 27. It’s not like you’re playing against 17-year old. You’re playing against grown men in college”
That’s a real point. That transition from G League to the NBA won’t be easy. But Flagg’s already got a taste of what’s to come. And if he continues on this path, we could be witnessing the rise of a future star. Every hooper dreams of that one moment, the ball in their hands, 25,000 fans watching, under the bright lights of the city.
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