Jeremy Lin Finally Addresses Carmelo Anthony Beef Years After Knicks Exit
“I can’t feed the speculation train,” Jeremy Lin said as the old Knicks drama found new life.
Published June 10 2026, 2:34 p.m. ET
The Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin beef has resurfaced. More than a decade after “Linsanity” took over New York, people still want to know what really happened between the two former teammates. Carmelo and Jeremy only played together for one season, but that season became one of the most talked-about chapters in Knicks history.
Jeremy’s rise happened fast. Carmelo returned from injury and found a new teammate at the center of the spotlight. Then things got complicated. Now, Jeremy says he is open to talking things out with Carmelo.
What was the Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin beef?
The alleged beef goes back to the 2011-12 Knicks season, according to Bleacher Report. At the time, Carmelo was the team’s biggest star. Jeremy broke out while Carmelo was out with an injury, and the Knicks started winning again. Some fans believed Carmelo felt threatened by Jeremy’s sudden fame. Others thought people blew the whole thing out of proportion.
The situation got even messier after the season. Jeremy became a restricted free agent and signed a three-year, $25 million offer sheet with the Houston Rockets. The Knicks chose not to match it, and Jeremy left New York. Carmelo’s comments at the time only added fuel. "It's not up to me," Carmelo said, per ESPN. "It's up to the organization to say they want to match that ridiculous contract that's out there."
Jeremy has never fully blamed Carmelo for his Knicks exit. In a 2022 interview, Jeremy addressed the long-running theory that Carmelo’s jealousy pushed him out of New York.
“That’s the theory, and that’s what everyone says, but I can’t feed the speculation train because I don’t actually know,” Jeremy told The Daily Beast. “I know, and I’m saying this truthfully, that there were multiple points of opposition completely outside of Melo within what was going on, and once D’Antoni resigned, there was already opposition within the organization—whether it was the coaching staff that took over or certain members of the front office.”
The beef between Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin is coming to an end.
The perceived beef between Carmelo and Jeremy is officially over. Carmelo invited Jeremy to come on his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast and clear the air. Jeremy said he is interested, but he wants to handle it the right way.
“I know our teams are in contact,” Jeremy told The California Post. “My desire is still the same. I’d like to have a private conversation before having a public recorded conversation. That’s my goal right now — to be able to have that private conversation. Would love, of course, to go on the podcast and talk about those things. And talk about things publicly afterward.”
Carmelo is one of the most decorated scorers in modern NBA history. He played 19 NBA seasons and became a 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection and NBA scoring champion, according to ESPN. Jeremy’s career had a different kind of rise. He played college basketball at Harvard, went undrafted in 2010 and started his NBA career with the Golden State Warriors.