Though suspended Jahlil Okafor is on the Knicks’ Atlantic Division rival 76ers, part of Carmelo Anthony would like to consult with the rookie and give him advice.
Anthony said that early in his career, he had to learn on his own and “feels bad’’ the Sixers center is struggling so much with off-the-court issues, seemingly with no veteran guidance on a young team.
“You can’t hold guys hands and walk them through day-to-day life,’’ Anthony said Wednesday after the Knicks routed the Sixers 99-87. “[Kristaps Porzingis] is fortunate enough to have veterans and guys in this locker room that can talk to him and teach him. That situation with Okafor, it’s an unfortunate situation. That could’ve been anybody. It happened to be him. He’s dealing with that. I feel bad for him. I know those situations. Sometimes you can’t control those situations.’’
Early in his career, Anthony, too, was involved in some unseemly shenanigans and received a major suspension following an on-court brawl at the Garden between his Nuggets and the Knicks. Anthony also appeared briefly in a gang-associated DVD called “Stop Snitching.’’
“I wish I could reach out to [Okafor],’’ Anthony said. “I had to learn the hard way. Unfortunately. I had to figure out that I had control of my own career and which direction I wanted to go in.
“There comes a time you sit down with yourself, have some ‘me’ time and figure out what you want out of your life and career. There was some people I was able to get advice [from] and vent to, but a lot of my experiences I had to deal with on my own.’’
Okafor was suspended two games by the Sixers after two videos were released of his involvement in two separate fights in Boston and after he reportedly was caught speeding at 108 mph over the Ben Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia.
Cleanthony Early did his best impression of the late Ernie Banks’ famous saying: “Let’s play two.’’
The Knicks’ second-year forward played 33 minutes Wednesday in Westchester’s D-League loss in White Plains — an 11 a.m. start — and then was returned to the Knicks’ roster for the win over the Sixers at the Garden.
Early played just three minutes for the Knicks and scored no points despite the fact Anthony was playing at less than 100 percent because of strep throat, which had sidelined him Sunday. Early said he was psyched to become the first Knick to play a professional doubleheader and the fifth pro player ever. Jordan Farmar, Coby Karl, Troy Daniels, and Luke Harangody also played a D-League and NBA game on the same day.
“I feel fine,’’ Early said after scoring 16 points with nine rebounds in the one-point loss to Fort Wayne. “I got a lot of juice. I didn’t do anything all year.’’
Early said he would play two or three AAU games a day when he was a teenager.