For nearly two decades, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony played with and against some of the greatest of all time. But something about Steph Curry’s stardom was different to him.

Anthony, speaking to NBC Sports Bay Area on Saturday at Cashback Courts with Chase Freedom at NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, discussed a variety of subjects, including his popular “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast. When Anthony was asked about his dream podcast guest, he paused for a few moments to come up with a response.

After six seconds of pondering, he finally uttered a great reply.

But when Anthony was asked about Curry and what separates him from other NBA greats, Anthony didn’t even need a millisecond to answer.

“Oh, Steph changed the game,” Anthony said. “When it comes to how you approach the game and how you prepare for the game, it’s all because of Steph. The way he was able to transcend the shot-making ability and extend the 3-point from the actual 3-point line to damn near half-court. It made you think differently on how you wanted to guard him, how you defended him, how you defended the Warriors.

“So, I just think he’s a game-changer. He changed the game. I think the game he changed will be changed for a long time.”

Curry, a four-time NBA champion, is in Year 17 with Golden State. Turning 38 next month, the sharpshooter still is averaging 27.2 points on 46.8-percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent from 3-point range, with 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 31.3 minutes through 39 games this season.

But the Warriors, sitting at 29-26 through the All-Star break, have been just above average. And with Jimmy Butler out for the remainder of the campaign after tearing his ACL, the Warriors’ mission of maximizing Curry’s remaining years with deep playoff runs and championship aspirations became much more difficult.

Anthony, however, believes that as long as Curry is Curry, paired with Golden State’s championship DNA, the Warriors always will have a chance to compete.

“Well, they’re going to compete. They’re going to fight,” Anthony said. “Those guys are going to compete and fight until the wheels fall off over there. So as long as they’re there, they’re going to give themselves a fighting chance.

“As long as Steph is Steph, and you still got Draymond [Green] over there, you still got pieces over there. Until they decide that this is it, they’re still going to be competitive.”

Anthony knows a thing or two about being competitive.

The 2012-12 scoring champ made 13 playoff appearances in his 19-year career.

Anthony is a 10-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection, and he widely is regarded as one of the greatest scorers in league history. While he never won an NBA championship, he won an NCAA title at Syracuse in 2003 and is a three-time Olympic gold medalist.

For those reasons alone, he has no regrets about his basketball journey.

“I’m going to be honest with you: probably nothing,” Anthony said when asked what advice he would give his 19-year-old rookie self. “No regrets because that’s why I’m able to sit here and talk to you today. I went through what I went through and I persevered and I went through life. I don’t regret anything.”

Anthony was born in Brooklyn, New York, but moved to Baltimore at a young age.

He always has stuck with his New York roots, especially after playing seven seasons with the Knicks and instantly blossoming into a franchise legend.

His “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast is a reflection of it all, and its purpose is to drive positivity through its platform.

“Just be you. I think a lot of people get into this space and they try to be somebody that they’re not,” Anthony said. “And they start talking about things that maybe don’t resonate, and they don’t have a lot of information on. Just be authentic. What I do is we just be authentic. We give people flowers. We don’t try to trash-talk nobody, because there’s enough of that out there.

“So we just try to be positive and really live by that ‘Stay Melo’ mantra.”

Credit: Chase Freedom

Credit: Chase Freedom

Credit: Chase Freedom

Credit: Chase Freedom

Oh, remember that dream guest we mentioned at the beginning of this article? We won’t keep you waiting any longer.

“Bernie Mac,” Anthony said. “I just think he fits what we do. I think he fits our aesthetic. I think he fits the conversation. I just think he fits on 7PM.”

The “7PM in Brooklyn” met “7PM in LA” for the special edition live taping over All-Star Weekend.

Chase Freedom’s Cashback Courts brought together basketball fans, cardmembers and a star-studded lineup of talent, including Anthony, Curry, JuJu Watkins, Chris Paul, Jarred Vanderbilt and more.

But it was more than just shooting a podcast for Anthony, who’s grateful for what the experience brought him.

“Chase did a great job of allowing us to come out here and bring our property to LA,” Anthony said. “All the fans and members and cardholders, for us to just be a part of their community, too, it allows us to bring their community into ours and that makes a great partnership.”

Coast to coast for nearly 20 years, Anthony made an impact with a basketball in his hand. To this day, that impact remains with a microphone in his hand.

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