Hall of Fame basketball player Carmelo Anthony said Thursday, in the wake of bombshell indictments detailing illegal NBA betting , that the rapid rise of sports gambling is putting growing pressure on today's athletes.

Speaking with CNBC Sport, the former New York Knicks star said the betting culture "mentally affects" players.

"They may say they don't care ... but they care about it, because it affects them," he said.

On Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel announced Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were separately arrested following investigations into alleged insider bets on basketball games. Anthony was not involved in the case.

The 10-time NBA All-Star, who retired in 2023 and now works as a broadcaster for NBC, said he's concerned

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