For now, let's check the Melo international highlights as they were before this year's tournament began. Melo has so many international highlights, they are too much to digest in one sitting anyway. And we don't want to start to have a weight problem like Nene does from time to time, do we?
USA BASKETBALL NOTES: CARMELO ANTHONY INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS AS OF SPRING 2007
• Named the 2006 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year for his contributions to the 2006 USA Senior National Team and 2006 USA World Championship Team.
• Helped lead USA to an 8-1 record and bronze medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.
• Named a tri-captain of the 2006 USA World Championship Team.
• Named to the 2006 FIBA World Championship All-Tournament Team.
• Finished as the USA's leading scorer at the World Championship, averaged 19.9 points while playing 23.9 minutes a game. Also shot 50.4 percent from the field, 44.0 percent from 3-point, while adding 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.4 assists a game.
• His 179 points scored and 19.9 scoring average rank as the second most by a USA player in World Championship play, trailing only Luther Burden's 182 points and 20.2 points per game average in 1974.
• Also established a U.S. single-game scoring mark with 35 points versus Italy. His 13 made field goals in that contest also tied a U.S. team record for most made field goals in a game.
• Shot 22-for-50 from behind the 3-point arc and now ranks fourth on the USA all-time World Championship list for 3-pointers made in the tournament and his 50 attempts ranks fourth all-time. His 17 steals ranks him tied for sixth for steals in a World Championship.
• Finished the 2006 FIBA World Championship ranked sixth in scoring, ninth for made 3-pointers per game and ranked tied for ninth in steals.
• Named on August 17 a member of the 2006 USA World Championship Team.
• Helped lead the USA Senior National Team to a 5-0 record during its pre-World Championship tour averaging a team high 16.8 ppg., 2.2 rpg., while shooting 56.4 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from 3-point.
•Named on March 5, 2006, to the the 2006-2008 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program.
•As a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic basketball team that finished 5-3 and won the bronze medal, played in seven of the USA's eight Olympic games, averaged 2.4 ppg. and 1.6 rpg.
•As a member of the 2004 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team that compiled a 5-1 record in its pre-Olympic training, played in all six games and averaged a team third best 10.1 PPG, while adding 2.8 rpg. and 2.0 apg. Scored a team high 19 points in a 95-78 loss to Italy, and tied for the team high with 16 points in USA's 96-71 win over Puerto Rico.
•Named to the 2004 USA Basketball Senior National Team on July 8, 2004.
•Was a member of the 2002 USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that traveled to Isla de Margarita, Venezuela and finished 4-1 and won the bronze medal.
•Started all five games and averaged a team leading 15.6 ppg., while adding 6.2 rpg. (second on team), 1.8 apg., And shot 54.1 percent from the field, 33.3 (3-9 3pt FGs) from 3-point.
•Recorded 23 points (11-19 FGs) in 75-73 win over Argentina, 21 points and seven rebounds in USA’s 101-41 thumping of Mexico, posted a double-double of 13 points and 10 boards in 67-65 loss to Venezuela.
•Participated in the 2001 USA Basketball Men’s Youth Development Festival for the silver medalist East Team, averaged a team high and tied with ‘04 USA teammate LeBron James for a Festival best 24.0 points a game, while adding 4.3 rebounds and shooting a Festival high 66.1 percent (39-59 FGs) from the floor and 76.5 percent (13-17 FTs) from the foul line.
