Fans react harshly to Carmelo Anthony’s Team USA starting 5 choices. (Photos from USA Basketball X page)

NBA legend and former U.S. men’s basketball team member Carmelo Anthony chimed in on who should be the starting five for Team USA in the Paris Olympic Games. Fans did not agree with his choices and accordingly took him to task for it on social media.

‘Melo’ was a recent visitor in Team USA’s practice at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas and was asked on the sidelines who his choices are for starting five, which he gamely answered.

In explaining his choices, he said he was going for youth, so he picked Tyrese Haliburton, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum and Bam Adebayo. He then shared that the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Steph Curry and Jrue Holiday would come off the bench.

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Many fans did not agree with Anthony’s choices and made their thoughts known. Below are what some of them posted on X, formerly Twitter:

“This might be the worst starting 5 you could possible create out of the roster,”wrote a shocked fan on the former Denver and New York star’s starting five selection.

One fan, meanwhile, used his choices to point out his failure to win an NBA title, saying:

“This why Carmelo has no rings.”

Another criticized his selection as not saying a lot of him as an Olympian, writing:

“3x Olympic gold medalist lol”There were some, meanwhile, who were left scratching their heads with his starting five choices.

“‘You don’t know ball,’ one wrote.”Another fan chimed in:

“Lmaooo Melo lost his damn mind.”Still another:

“That 5 lost”However, there were fans who are were not totally critical of Carmelo Anthony and found some sense in his choices.

“He has a valid reason tho, start with the young guys, fresh legs then Bron KD Steph gonna pick up the pace and run with it game over,” an analytical fan wrote.

“‘Everybody he name made it so you just talking’,” added another one.Also part of Team USA are Anthony Davis and Derrick Whiite, who was a late replacement for Kawhi Leonard.

Team USA hits the road on its way to the Paris Olympic Games

Team USA hit the road on Wednesday on its way to the Paris Olympic Games beginning later this month, where it will hope to defend their gold medal.

The U.S. squad of NBA superstar players played Canada in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the first of five tune-up games before plunging into the Olympic Games proper.

Next up for the team is a game on July 15 against Australia in Abu Dhabi, UAE, followed by Serbia on July 17, South Sudan on July 20 (London, United Kingdom), and Germany on July 22.

The U.S. will begin its Olympic campaign in Group C, where it is lumped with South Sudan, Serbia and Puerto Rico.

It plays Serbia first on July 28, then South Sudan on July 31 and Puerto Rico on Aug. 3.

LeBron James (LA Lakers), Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors) and Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) lead Team USA. They are joined by Anthony Davis (Lakers), Devin Booker (Phoenix), Joel Embiid (Philadlephia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics).