LONDON — Carmelo Anthony doesn’t think Michelle Obama is a Knicks fan, but the First Lady apparently likes Melo’s style.
After a photo of the pair hugging appeared on the front page of yesterday’s Post, Anthony revealed Michelle Obama whispered nice words of encouragement to him in the embrace.
“She told me to continue being happy and keep smiling,’’ said Anthony, who is known being carefree on the court. “She’s a Melo fan.’’
Anthony, who tweeted the photo yesterday, was in hot demand at the Team USA practice at the University of East London. Former Brazilian Olympic star Oscar Schmidt asked to take a picture with Anthony.
The club, fresh off a 27-point blowout of France, is preparing for tonight’s “game’’ against Tunisia, whose best player is a Belgian Leaguer. Redeem Team II is favored by 55 points by online bookmaker Bovada.
The Olympics have served Anthony well in the public-relations department, and he seems to have started patching things up with former Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, who resigned March 14 amid what appeared to be an irreparable feud with the star forward.
When the Olympic Team gathered for training camp in Las Vegas on July 5, Anthony said there was potential for an uncomfortable situation. Anthony and D’Antoni, Team USA’s top assistant under Mike Krzyzewski, had not spoken since the resignation and were stuck alone in an elevator on Day 1.
“I was on the elevator and he was coming onto the elevator,’’ Anthony said. “We didn’t have much of a conversation. Then we walked to the meeting, then talked about it. It could have been an awkward moment, but it never was.’’
Playing for D’Antoni again has been free of controversy. Anthony thinks D’Antoni’s speedball system is perfect for this squad.
“It’s been good,’’ Anthony said. “He’s been Mike. His system is what we run here. It works best for us. We’ve been running the system four, five years now. He controls the offense, Nate [McMillan] controls the defense. [Jim] Boeheim controls the zone. He gets no love because we ain’t runnin’ no zone.’’
While 28 assists on 31 field goals against France should be a coach’s dream, D’Antoni and Krzyzewski have implored the club to stop declining open looks. The team is being too unselfish.
“We saw on film this morning with guys just passing up open shots,’’ Anthony said. “Even KD [Kevin Durant] is. He came out hot and a couple of times he didn’t shoot the ball, and we were on the bench yelling: ‘Don’t pass the ball. Shoot it if you’re wide open.’ We expect guys to take shots they’re supposed to take. Even in the second half a couple of times we passed the ball five, six times and didn’t get a shot. We got too unselfish. It’s a good thing, but could become a bad thing.’’
Anthony never has had that problem but is adapting to that culture.
“Guys are trying to get everyone going,’’ Anthony said. “I don’t think anyone wants to be the guy who’s known for taking all the shots. Even going through our offense five-on-zero, we have five, six passes. It’s like, ‘Someone just take the shot.’ ’’
That awkward chemistry is perhaps why Frenchman Nicolas Batum said after the loss Team USA can be beaten at the Olympics by Spain, Argentina or Brazil if they defend and rebound for 40 minutes.
”I don’t think he would sound right if he says we can’t be beat,’’ Anthony said. “They have to say that. We hear comments every day, all day, what it takes to beat us. We shall see if that moment ever happens.’’
It won’t be tonight against Tunisia as the team tries to stay interested.
“You have a performance to give,’’ Coach K said. “Are you doing it on a Wednesday matinee? A Saturday night? It’s not who you’re playing. You should never judge how you’re going to perform on who you’re going to play against.’’