Carmelo Anthony gets unfairly vilified for Olympic comments

Carmelo Anthony is being vilified for comments that aren't as egregious as some would have you believe.

The retired star recently said he wouldn't trade any of his three Olympic gold medals for an NBA championship — a title that eluded him through his 19-year stint as a pro.

"They both have their own meanings, but winning a gold medal, it's the passion, it's the pride that you have, not just for a city or a state, for a whole nation, for a whole country you're winning for," Anthony told BasketNews . "It's a different level of, I would say, pride that you have to have when you're wearing USA across your chest, or you're wearing Lithuania across your chest. It's a totally different feeling than Knicks, New York across your chest."

As expected, the usual suspects in the media such as Stephen A. Smith ripped Anthony for his comments.

What exactly is Anthony being criticized for? For being a patriot? For taking pride in being an Olympic gold medalist? Do people realize that one in a million athletes worldwide experience the joy of qualifying for the Olympics, let alone winning a gold medal? Nearly 70 countries are still searching for their elusive Olympic medal (including bronze) in any sport or discipline.

Anthony said nothing wrong. As someone who traveled to the Olympiad on four occasions (2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016), he obviously developed a deep appreciation for the spirit of the Games and the pride an athlete feels while representing their country. It's an old cliche but experience breeds appreciation. A media analyst would never comprehend what it's like for an athlete to soak in the Olympic spirit.

Is the Larry O'Brien Trophy more prestigious than an Olympic gold medal? Perhaps. It'd be hard to argue since one country has dominated basketball for over a century. However, an Olympic gold medal is still an Olympic gold medal, and it's about time people honor it as such rather than undermine its prestige.