Carmelo Anthony looking ripped in photo at Portland Trail Blazers training

Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony was recently spotted looking ripped and lean in photos from a training in the NBA bubble.

We know that Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony has been nominated to play some minutes at the small forward position when the NBA resumes at the end of July.

Fans, though, probably didn’t expect the epic physical transformation they saw when photos and videos hit the internet of a slim 2013esque version of the NBA legend.

This 2019/20 season, we have seen Melo lose weight at the start of the season to be in the type of shape fans hadn’t seen for a while. Then, over the COVID layoff, he has gone even harder with conditioning and is potentially in the kind of shape now that we haven’t seen since 2013/14.

Melo never took being in the league for granted. Still, after basically being away from the league for almost an entire season in 2018/19, he is now doing everything in his power to make sure he stays in the NBA for as long as possible.

Has Melo got in this type of shape so he can play the three? Potentially. But, regardless of his position, his new playing weight will aid his performance massively.

There was also the below video of Melo in a team training in the bubble, playing defense on Mario Hezonja.

Don’t expect Melo to be locking people down on the perimeter. But this newfound playing weight is exciting for fans, as the Blazers are desperate for wing options which aren’t complete turnstiles out there on the three-point line.

Melo has had a good year this year without being amazing, but when you consider he is now thirty-six-years-old and in his 17th year in the league, 15 points and 7 rebounds is pretty good production. With the shape Melo is in now, maybe we see better finishing at the rim and improved efficiency in his game overall.

With everything on the line going into these final eight games, it’s all or nothing for every squad member. Let’s hope it’s not just Melo who is trying to be in the best shape of his life.