New York Knicks: Jeff Hornacek Praises Carmelo Anthony's Leadership
New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek responded to the disturbing comments made by Carmelo Anthony’s former head coach: George Karl.
From 2003 to 2011, Carmelo Anthony played for head coach George Karl. In 2016-17, Anthony is playing for one of the players who competed against Karl’s Seattle SuperSonics in the 1990s: Jeff Hornacek.
Following Karl’s deeply personal lambasting of Anthony as a player, leader, and overall human being, Hornacek has come to his star player’s defense.
Hornacek and Anthony have led the Knicks to a strong start to the 2016-17 NBA regular season. They’re just 29 games into their player-coach relationship, but the limited sample size has been large enough for the two to develop a solid connection.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, Hornacek didn’t insert himself into the issue, but he was willing to comment on Anthony as a player, leader, and overall human being.
“Carmelo for us has been great. Whatever happened in the past that guys talk about I know none of that. All I can go by is what I’ve seen out of Carmelo here. He’s done everything we’ve asked, and what the coaches want him to do. He’s been a great leader for our team. So that’s it simply for me.”
That’s how you prove you have your players’ backs.
Hornacek didn’t say anything noteworthy enough to turn this into a bigger issue than it already is. What he did, however, was back his star player up and state that Karl’s issues with Anthony, whether true or manufactured, haven’t translated to New York.
Hornacek remained neutral on the topic of the past and supportive of his star during the present.
That’s the only rational approach to this situation.
Anthony himself has declined the opportunity to comment on this issue, instead choosing to take the high road. That took maturity and restraint after Karl’s comments evolved from basketball-related criticism into stating that Anthony didn’t have a father to, “Show [him] how to act like a man.”
Karl attempted to be empathetic, but has rubbed many the wrong way with his comments.
For example, Karl's line about Carmelo Anthony growing up in a single-parent household, perhaps misguided, was intended empathetically: pic.twitter.com/tmSJbqUTDn
— Kevin Pelton (@kpelton) December 22, 2016
With Anthony choosing to ignore and move past this issue, Hornacek did the right thing by not leaving room for controversy in his comments.
The Knicks are banding together as a team and not letting Karl’s comments influence them in any way.
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