Carmelo Anthony to critics: I'm not 'a loser': Report

Despite leading the New York Knicks to the worst start start in the history of the franchise, Carmelo Anthony fired back at his critics who called him "a loser." 

The Knicks forward tried to take the pressure of his new $124 million contract and superstar status off himself by claiming the team's 5-23 start — on pace to post its worst record ever after going 37-45 last season and missing the playoffs — doesn't boil down to a loser's mentality.

“I didn’t think it would be like this,’’ Anthony told the Washington Post via the N.Y. Post. “I’m like, why? Time goes by so fast and one thing you realize, you can’t control winning. It’s out of your control. You can control what you do. You can control your work ethic and your mindset when it comes down to winning. Everything has to be synchronized from ownership all the way down to the staff. Everything has to be in sync.’’

Anthony is in his 12th NBA season, but has advanced past the first round of the playoffs twice. And since joining the Knicks in 2010, only once. 

Anthony, who missed Thursday’s game in Chicago and is debating whether to sit for a couple of weeks to rest his chronic left knee injury .

“At the end of the day, we all know what the goal is and that’s to win a championship,’’ Anthony said. “I know that I’m a winner. Even though you might lose some games here and there, I know I’m a winner. I’ve won already. I’ve won off the court and on the court. I’m living the American dream. That’s winning to me. Nobody can say anything about [me] being a loser.”

Anthony, who missed Thursday’s game in Chicago and is debating whether to sit for a couple of weeks to rest his chronic left knee injury, admitted he hears the negative talk.

“Everybody has an opinion,’’ Anthony said in the interview. “ Everybody knows it all. They think they know you. You kind of become what the back page says you are. That’s messed up. I think just going through it, and you’ve seen the worst of the worst. Being here at the bottom and you can easily see how people will dismiss you, step on you and forget about you. This is the belly of the beast. New York will eat you alive if you let it.”

The history of losing has bothered Anthony to the point of frustration. A near brawl with teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. and reports that Anthony would consider waiving his no-trade clause rather than nixing a trade if the Knicks struck a deal to an attractive destination have fueled reports of a departure.

Anthony responded by saying he would have a "weak mind" to want out amid "a wall of adversity."

Still, you have to wonder how much of it he can take.