Carmelo Anthony visits Rio's favelas during Team USA off day
The United States men’s basketball team had a couple of days off this week, in advance of an Olympic quarterfinal match against Argentina. Some players may have relaxed on the cruise ship housing the men’s and women’s teams or visited different sites around Rio de Janeiro.
But Carmelo Anthony used the opportunity to visit the favelas — or shantytowns — of Rio during his time off.
Anthony, who recently expressed displeasure via Instagram over how some have interpreted comments he made about his career, seems at peace during his visit.
His Instagram post includes the caption: “I discovered that what most people call creepy, scary, and spooky, I call comfy, cozy, and home.”
The caption is perhaps a reference to Anthony’s upbringing. As a young child, he lived in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn before he and his family moved to West Baltimore. He has spoken about the poverty he was surrounded by as a child and teenager.
The favelas are the poorest sections of Rio, often plagued by violence. NPR recently reported that on average, 4.8 people have been wounded by gunfire in Rio each day during the Olympics.
Anthony seemed at ease during his visit to the favelas, which he also documented via video on Snapchat. “Love is real in the favelas,” he said.
Anthony and Team USA return to the court Wednesday to face Argentina.
