VIDEO: Carmelo Anthony thinks he influenced LeBron James' return to Cleveland

Carmelo Anthony should have some new fans in Cleveland, if Anthony's thought process is correct.

During a recent interview with Michael Strahan on ABC News, Anthony said he believes his move to New York in 2011 paved the way for James to leave the Miami Heat to return to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers.

"When I came back home to New York," Anthony said. "I'm pretty sure he looked at that moment and saw that was a very special moment and he had an opportunity to go back home himself and regain that love with those fans that kind of disowned him a couple of years ago.

"So he's at peace now. You could tell he's at peace."

Anthony played his high school ball in Maryland and Virginia but was born in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, and the league now has homegrown players in three major markets with Anthony in New York, James in Cleveland and Derrick Rose with the Chicago Bulls.

Something tells us that James would have returned to Cleveland regardless of where Anthony was playing, but it's possible Anthony's journey back to basketball Mecca made James pine for home. In any case, you can check out Anthony's comments below: