The 15 player exclusive sneakers that defined Carmelo Anthony’s career

Carmelo Anthony will enter the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend.

Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, the East Coast scoring forward burst into the spotlight as an 18-year-old senior at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, defeating LeBron James’ St. Vincent-St. Mary’s squad in a nationally televised game on ESPN2.

Fifteen months later, the familiar face would appear victorious with millions watching again, as he led the Syracuse Orange to an NCAA championship as a freshman. He’d soon declare for the NBA draft, going third overall to the Denver Nuggets and inking an endorsement deal with Jordan Brand.

Over the course of 19 NBA seasons and four Olympic Games, Anthony laced up Jordan sneakers of the retro and signature variety with great flair. From his rookie arrival in the Mile High City to his Hollywood curtain call, Anthony’s Air Jordans – both released and unreleased – turned heads and captured culture.

The sneakers made for Anthony but not for public consumption are among those marveled at the most. Player Exclusive sneakers – often abbreviated as PE or PEs – refer to unique and often personalized pairs of shoes made strictly for an individual with deep ties at a footwear brand. These shoes are often elevated by tailor-made detailing, vibrant storytelling, and color blocking (a design technique) not available at stores.

To celebrate Anthony’s Hall of Fame induction, Andscape recounts 15 player exclusive Jordans laced by Anthony that define his extraordinary career and trademark style.

Air Jordan 9 Quentin Richardson PE

In November 2002, Anthony began his historic one-season run at Syracuse in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York against the University of Memphis. The John Calipari-coached Tigers were outfitted by Allen Iverson through an exclusive deal with Reebok.

Not without NBA connections himself, Anthony was gifted a pair of Air Jordan 9 PEs from Jordan Brand ambassador Quentin Richardson. Foreshadowing the future, Anthony impressed in unreleased Air Jordans, scoring 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Air Jordan 18.5

In the summer of 2003, Anthony signed the biggest rookie shoe deal at Nike in NBA history. However, that record signing lasted for roughly a week.

Signing for $40 million before being bested by LeBron James’ landmark $87 million endorsement at Nike, a call was quickly made to Anthony’s then-agent Calvin Andrews, asking if his client would be willing to shift to Jordan Brand, a subsidiary and standalone division of Nike, where he would soon become a signature athlete.

The answer was obviously yes, as Anthony immediately made that year’s Air Jordan 18.5 his own.

Air Jordan 12 PEs

As a rookie, Carmelo Anthony had a bigger contract and wider latitude than any Air Jordan ambassador ever had. Such was exemplified by his endless rotation of Air Jordan 12 Retro PEs.

From White/Yellow exclusives to every imaginable color block execution of White/Powder Blue, Anthony upped the ante on just how far Jordan Brand would bend heritage for its new-age star.

Air Jordan 2 PEs

Basketball pundits often wonder what would’ve happened had the Detroit Pistons selected Anthony second overall in the 2003 NBA draft. Unfortunately, we’ll never know but the 2004 Summer Olympics suggest things worked out exactly as planned.

Playing for Olympic Basketball head coach Larry Brown, Anthony struggled to see the court in the Bronze-medal effort, partly because of Brown’s impatience with young players. Anthony’s consolation prize for the extra hours was another Air Jordan 2 PE, this time swapping powder blue for that of a Team USA navy.

Jordan Melo 1.5

The Jordan Melo 1.5 was the first signature shoe for Carmelo Anthony, previewed in Olympic action and released at retail to coincide with his second NBA season.

By blending design elements of the Air Jordan 1 and Air Jordan 2, the .5 hybrid played to the throwback trend that was dominating basketball and hip-hop culture on and off the court. This unreleased colorway spoke to such sentiment, matching the vintage vibes evoked by the David Thompson-era Nuggets uniforms of the 1970s.

Air Jordan XX PE

Though Denver hosted NBA All-Star Weekend in 2005, Carmelo Anthony was not voted a starter or reserve by NBA fans or coaches.

Making the most of his youth, Anthony dominated in the Rising Stars Challenge, scoring 31 points and winning MVP honors. He did it in an Air Jordan XX PE stylized with nickname embroidery and Nuggets colors.

Air Jordan 13 PEs

Carmelo Anthony’s second season in the NBA was dominated by the arrival of his signature Jordan Melo 1.5. However, it also gave way to a few unreleased retros.

Air Jordan 13 PEs of the home-and-away variety played off the same formula as the Air Jordan 2 and Air Jordan 12s seen in his rookie arrival. While select versions of the prior pairs made their way to retail, these rarities still evade even an amended release.

Air Jordan 10 PE

It didn’t take Carmelo Anthony long to build enough clout for Jordan Brand to produce player exclusives for him that were never intended to be worn in games. Case in point was the Air Jordan 10 PE. Outfitted in white, powder blue, and yellow with tongue tagging to boot, this unreleased retro was a one-off wear strictly for the Nuggets’ preseason media day in 2005.

Jordan Melo 5.5

The Jordan Melo 5.5 was a major commercial play, debuting at retail on Black Friday of 2005. Colorways tied to the Denver Nuggets were worn regularly on the court by Anthony as he looked to build a signature series of his own.

An opportunity to color outside the lines came by way of the 2005-06 season’s alternate navy uniforms. As an audible, Jordan Brand created this unreleased colorway as a mirror match to the Nuggets’ new threads.

Jordan Melo M4

Basketball fans of a certain bias would assume Anthony’s score-first mentality and disappointing Athens arrival would prevent him from ever making Team USA again. They’d be wrong.

Ascending as the ultimate international power forward. Anthony won three Olympic gold medals over the course of his career. The Jordan Melo M4 caught the signature star at the peak of his All-Star and Olympic ascent, taking well to the red, white, and blue.

Jordan Melo M9

The Jordan Melo M9 delivered on the Jumpman’s mission statement of Anthony’s New York City relocation: make a signature shoe fresh enough for Madison Square Garden but constructed tough to sustain play in the park.

While a variety of colorways — loud, quiet, and Knicks-centric versions — were released, Anthony adhered to the league’s loosening dress code, wearing this October orange pair in NBA action on Halloween 2013.

Air Jordan 5 PEs

The best player exclusives made for Carmelo Anthony rarely hit the NBA hardwood. Lasered renditions on the Air Jordan 4 and floral takes on the Air Jordan 5 delivered straight to Anthony’s address exist only through Instagram archives and archival pulls from veteran player PJ Tucker.

A pseudo exception is this Air Jordan 5 PE made for Anthony during his days in New York. An orange blaze upper gives way to a 3M tongue and script No. 7 (his number), never worn with his day job uniform.

Jordan Melo 1.5 Retro

Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant. Steph Curry. Allen Iverson. Carmelo Anthony.

Each member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team holds the rare distinction of being able to play in retro renditions of their signature sneaker series. That type of longevity and cultural resonance came to fruition for Anthony during his days in Oklahoma City when both the Jordan Melo 1.5 and 5.5 were brought back in unreleased Thunder pantones.

Air Jordan 35 PEs

A short stint in Houston looked like the last stop for Carmelo Anthony’s historic career. Thankfully, a non-guaranteed contract with the Portland Trail Blazers blossomed into two seasons of productive play.

After reassuming his original role of carrying the Air Jordan flagship model, Anthony rotated wearing unreleased takes of the Air Jordan 34 and Air Jordan 35 while in Portland. Syracuse stories, “Toro Bravo” bringbacks, and velvety exclusives inspired by the maturing veteran’s love of wine all made the most of playing near Nike, Inc.’s headquarters.

Air Jordan 36 PEs

Carmelo Anthony entered national basketball lore at age 18, sharing the court with LeBron James and lacing up in Air Jordan sneakers. He exited the game at age 37 the same way he arrived.

Playing his 19th and final NBA season as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony assumed his role as an elder statesman and storyteller in a major market through the Air Jordan 36.

Vintage exclusives inspired by 1992’s “Bordeaux” Air Jordan 7 and personalized pairs fashioned in a cork exterior all aligned with the Air Jordan veteran. While a slew of styles impressed over the course of his West Coast swan song, it was East Coast homages to “Beef & Broccoli” boots and a Nike Air Bakin’ tribute for his AAU team that hit closest to home.