Denver Nuggets forward and NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony sucker-punches another Knicks forward in full view of the camera and sends him sprawling to the floor unconscious, just like a good heavyweight fight.

But this is not a boxing bout, it's the NBA.

A professional sports league that is in desperate need of cleaning up its image, and distancing itself from the “street cred(ibility)” that has attached itself to hip-hop and the romanticisation of gangsterism that inevitably accompanies it. A sports league that is only two years removed from possibly the ugliest incident in American professional sports history - the "Malice at the Palace" in which oversized Indiana Pacers players violently turned on Detroit Pistons fans.

Reasonably astute NBA observers all know the real reasons behind Anthony’s sucker punch. He wanted to take a stand and show that intentional, flagrant fouls such as the one Mardy Collins brutally landed on Anthony’s teammate J.R. Smith would not be tolerated by teammates, even at the cost of suspension.

Anthony wanted to show all the players in the league that he and his teammates demand respect, and this was the way he thought he could regain the respect he felt had not been accorded to him or Smith. When Collins violently and dangerously dragged Smith down, Collins was immediately penalized by the refs and was surely set for a fine and/or a suspension from the league discipline office (which NBA Commissioner David Stern controls).

Discipline is not the job of the players, no matter how able they may feel they are at meting out punishment. These guys get paid millions of dollars and countless perks per season not only to play basketball, but also to uphold the image of the league in front of millions of viewers. And, just like in society, the players cannot take league law into their own hands.

Regardless of whether Stern holds a grudge against Anthony, he is justly concerned at the NBA's image and the damage that Anthony caused. The NBA boss has also been forced to undertake a major face-saving operation after Los Angles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant -- another candidate for best player in the NBA -- had rape and assault charges against him dropped after the alleged victim felt unable to proceed with the trial due to her emotional state brought on by the defence mounted by Bryant's highly-paid legal team.

Anthony not only assaulted Collins, he sucker-punched the NBA, which is a major corporation. The NBA has seen the character of the league severely corrupted in recent years and Commissioner Stern is ultimately responsible for maintaining the image of the economic superpower which he built. But amazingly, it is he who is being labelled as the villain for keeping Anthony out of the All-Star Game. But perhaps Stern wants to send the message that attacking other players will not be tolerated, and if a player wants to take the league rules into his own hands, he won’t be welcomed back so quickly - even after suspension.

There is legitimate concern around the National Football League by players, officials and fans that superstar Fred Merriman is being considered for post-season awards and inclusion in the NFL's version of the All-Star Game, the Pro Bowl, after he served a four-game suspension for steroids violations during the season. As a result, the league is considering introducing a rule that would bar suspended players from receiving awards and participating in league all-star games in the same year. So why is this applauded and accepted by the court of public opinion while at the same time Stern is derided for maintaining the same policy?

Here’s my message to ‘Melo: What you did in front of millions of people, including countless children, was not so mellow. It was also not professional. You could do it again in the All-Star Game, in front of an even larger international audience. Until you show some true remorse, penitence and character development, you’re a liability. You should publicly express regret for your part in the incident and why your behavior should not be copied by children. It would be a good start on the road to true image recovery. Then, you should openly discuss the incident with the media and what you learned from it and how it has made you a better person.

Perhaps your friends back in the old neighborhood respect your actions, and maybe you’ll get some mention in a gangster rap song, and maybe convicts are high-fiving each other in Colorado prisons for the perfectly thrown, powerful and lethal looking punch that felled Collins, and maybe players will think twice about fouling you, or a member of your team.

On the other hand, maybe players will target you, in order to incite you and get you and your skills kicked out for an even longer stretch of games if you lose it again. And maybe you have created a legion of fans who detest you for violating the sanctity of the playground by hitting someone whose back was turned.

The fact is, you don’t deserve to be in the All-Star Game. What you did was unprofessional and ungentlemanly, and if Stern wants to make an example of you, live with it. I mean, you’re still getting paid, right?

Is David Stern right to take a harsh stance against Carmelo Anthony? Send your comments to Sportingo.