Carmelo Anthony pens love letter to New York: 'This is the hardest goodbye'

“I came to NYC to B (Be) Born again,” Anthony wrote of the years in between. “The sense of something extraordinary happening left me with a lot of sleepless nights dreaming of possibilities. The one thing I kept telling myself was ‘Make my mark in NYC and I’d be a made man.’

“New York equipped me to make it in any other place in the world. It taught me how to Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable. Saying Goodbye is the hardest thing to do. I never thought I would, especially to you. No one will ever take your place. It’s hard to find someone like you, so know you will always be missed. You helped me laugh. You dried my tears. Because of you, I have no fears. You came into my life and I was blessed. It’s time to raise my hand and say goodbye. It’s not the end, because like I’ve always said, NYC ‘til the end.

“I’ve known you for years now, and I must say they’ve been the best years I’ve ever had. You helped me become the person I am today. I just want you to know YOU will always be in my heart. No matter what happens, I will always LOVE YOU. Although this goodbye is just temporary, this is the hardest goodbye for me to say. I wipe the tears off my cheek and smile at the same time because I know that we will meet again someday. ‘I’ve had my shining moments, upon this life darkened stage.’ And in my BOOK of WONDERMENTS, you will never be just another page. Your bright lights will travel with me far past when all the other lights go out.”

“This is a deal we feel works for both this franchise and Carmelo,” Mills said in a statement. “We thank him for his seven seasons in a Knicks uniform and all that he accomplished off the court for the City of New York by using his platform to address social issues. We will continue to focus on this team looking forward towards the immediate and long-term future. As we have said recently, this is a new beginning for the New York Knicks.”