Carmelo Anthony didn't give up, even though much of the basketball world had given on him.
The 35-year-old forward, who hasn't appeared in a game in more than a year, spent the summer working out and making it clear that he still wanted to play, whether it was for USA Basketball at the FIBA World Cup or for an NBA team this season. There were no takers, with Team USA's Jerry Colangelo worrying that Anthony "could be a distraction" and with no contract offers materializing, even though numerous all-stars, including LeBron James, publicly weighed in on his behalf.