ORLANDO — Carmelo Anthony has grown in so many ways as a player and as a leader. All you have to do is talk to veterans Marcus Camby and Jason Kidd to understand how far Melo has come — and just how far he can take the Knicks this season.
“I think each year he has actually been getting better and better as a player, but also as a person,’’ Camby told The Post last night on yet another night Anthony led the Knicks in scoring with 25 points in a 99-89 win over the Magic at Amway Center to push the Knicks to 5-0. “He’s ready to lead us.’’
How far?
“I think he can lead us to a championship,’’ Camby said. “He’s seen a lot of his peers in his draft class win one and that is driving him. He got his one in college, but he wants to win one in the NBA. He wants to win one for the city; we all want to win one for New York City.’’
Those peers are the Miami Big Three: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
After the win, Anthony made it clear what he wants for his Knicks.
“A championship,’’ he said calmly. “That’s the ultimate goal. We have a long way to go. We’ve got practices, we’ve got games. We’ve got a full season ahead of us. We’re just taking our time.’’
Anthony has become a patient leader, willing to pass out of the double team for the best of the team. He’s also willing to take on big Glen “Big Baby’’ Davis in the paint. Anything it takes.
This was a trap game, a night the Knicks were looking past the Magic, their eyes set on tomorrow night’s game in San Antonio, but they buckled down in the second half, and held the Magic to 13 fourth-quarter points. Anthony got over the early frustrations of having calls go against him to find a way to get the job done.
That’s the maturation level coming into focus.
Kidd came up with a huge fourth quarter and said this about the new driven-to-succeed Melo, pointing to Olympic success as the key.
“He has been great since coming off the gold medal,’’ Kidd said. “You can see his confidence and the way he is playing. He is playing off the charts for us. The one thing people keep bringing up is can he keep it up? I don’t even see why that’s a question. He’s doing everything that is right. It’s a lot of fun to be around.’’
Yes it is. The Knicks are off to their best start since they began the 1993-94 season 7-0 — when Anthony was 9.
Camby and Anthony were together five years in Denver. Camby saw Anthony come into the league as a sensational rookie in 2003. Anthony’s development from those first few years in the league to now “is like night and day,’’ Camby said. “He came into the league off a national championship [at Syracuse] and then he helped us get into the playoffs that first year in Denver and it seemed like everything was coming easy for him.
“Then he had a few bumps in the road along the way, some off the court stuff, the fight in the Garden, but he has overcome all that to become one of the most gifted basketball players in the world, but also one of the most likeable guys with his smile and his personality,’’ Camby said.
“He’s one of us,’’ Camby added. “There is no ego in him. Even though he is the best player on our team he always makes sure to carry himself as the 15th guy as Chris Copeland. He’s always laughing and joking and he works so hard. That’s good when your best player is also your hardest worker.’’
The Knicks are Melo’s Team in every way and he has them off to a terrific start.
Watching him grow as a player and a leader is golden.
kevin.kernan@nypost.com