New York Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony have issued a call for better gun control after teammate Cleanthony Early was shot in the knee on Wednesday morning. Anthony recently appeared in the NBA's video campaign against violence that was launched on Christmas Day.

"Gun control is just something we have to do. We have to figure it out. Believe it or not, even though I said the Knicks, in particular, are not targets, we all are targets at the end of the day," Anthony who uses private security when he goes out.

"It's scary, man. This goes back two years when I was in Denver. I had a teammate, Julius Hodge that was shot in a drive-by when I was out there. I was there when the Broncos player Darrent Williams got killed in a drive-by shooting," he added as quoted by the New York Daily News.

Early is the latest player to be attacked in New York City this past year along with Chris Copeland and Thabo Sefolosha. Copeland was stabbed in the abdomen outside a nightclub while Sefolosha was harassed by NYPD officers causing him to suffer a broken leg.

Knicks forward Derrick Williams was also part of the news two weeks ago when two women robbed him of $600,000 worth of jewelry. "I can't and won't get into debating those type of things. It's clear that Cleanthony and Williams are victims. They didn't break any laws," Knicks head coach Derek Fisher said.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Early is expected to make a full recovery despite being shot directly at his knee. He underwent an MRI scan and X-ray tests revealing no structural damage and no surgery for his knee is required.

The report added that doctors are just monitoring his knee for infection and the procedure done was just to clean it up with the bullet exiting Early's leg. The second-year player and his girlfriend were robbed after leaving CityScapes Gentlemen's Club in Queens by four to six men wearing masks with guns.

The 24-year-old is in good spirits and is very positive especially after his teammates and other NBA players offered their prayers. Early was drafted by the Knicks with the 34th overall pick in 2014 and will become a free agent at the end of the season.