“We didn’t grow up with guarantees. We grew up with grit.”
It was the theme that stayed front and center for Syracuse Orange legend and now Basketball Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony. ‘Melo, the phenom one-and-done freshman who guided the Orange to its only NCAA championship before carving out a 19-year career in the NBA, officially got enshrined
into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame over the weekend.When the time came for him to take the podium, Anthony poured his emotions and gratitude out into
a message center on resilience, believe and thanking those around you.
“We didn’t have much, but we had dreams, and if you were lucky, you had someone telling you not to give up on them,” Anthony said. “But more often, what we heard was that ‘ain’t for you. Don’t aim too high. ‘Melo, stay in your lane.’ Well, I had to build a new road. I had to write a different ending.”
Even the dogs at the ceremony had to chime in alongside the cheers:
‘Melo first took the time to thank the figures around him who motivated, supported and pushed him to have the career and life he ended up having. Among them, his parents, siblings, kids, Puerto Rican heritage, the neighborhoods he grew up in (like the Red Hook Houses in Brooklyn to Baltimore) and the notable teams he played for. That included a special moment where Anthony praised his mother’s endless support and love:
“You taught me that love is action, that sacrifice is quiet, that faith is louder than fear to every woman watching tonight, this moment is yours too,” Anthony said. “You are not behind us. You’re not beside us. You’re the reason we rise.”
Anthony emphasized that message throughout his speech. ‘Melo said while he is heading into the Hall of Fame, the “real” honor came with knowing that he never had to walk alone.
Those pillars of motivation helped to propel ‘Melo into one of the most influential figures in basketball history, first at Syracuse with a historic run to the 2003 NCAA Championship, followed by a professional career where he made 10 All-Star teams, six All-NBA teams and the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. He also became a staple for Team USA in the 21st century, playing in the Olympics four times and walking away with three gold medals.
And of course, there was plenty of basketballs that went in the hoop. Anthony remains 10th on the league’s all-time scoring list.
‘Melo also addressed the elephant in the room, the one thing he never accomplished but media sites and talking heads will still point to now and decades later. It’s a story as old as time for sports superstars. Even ‘Melo had to admit: “I never got an NBA ring, and some will always define me by that.”
There arguably wasn’t a better response he could have said than this:
“I know what I gave to this game, and I know what this game gave back. Legacy isn’t always made in championships. Sometimes it’s made in consistency and the refusal to quit and showing up over and over again when no one’s clapping,” Anthony said. “I played the game with fire, with passion, with love, with joy, I gave it everything I had, every single night.”
“I’ve been cheered criticized. They called me a scorer who couldn’t win. They said I was too loyal, and they said I wasn’t loyal enough. But they didn’t know what it feels like to carry the weight of whole cities, to lace up your sneakers while the world is dissecting your soul. They never saw the lonely nights, the aching knees, the silent battles. But I kept going, I kept shooting and I kept believing, not because I had all the answers, but because I had a why.”
Anthony’s legacy also goes well beyond lacing up the sneakers and stepping out onto the court.
Since retiring several years ago, ‘Melo continues to be a entrepreneur and philanthropist. He’s also still in the NBA universe, now set to be part of NBC Sports’ NBA coverage starting this season. Directly for Syracuse, Anthony made a donation that helped pave the way for the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center to be built. And now, his son, Kiyan, will not just be attending Syracuse University, but playing for the same program ‘Melo once did 20-plus years ago. For a father like Anthony, that accomplishment alone stands above the rest.
‘Melo capped off his Hall of Fame speech with one final message that is sure to give you goosebumps.
“When they ask you, where did greatness come from? Tell them it starts in the dirt. Starts in the dark,” Anthony said. “It starts with a whisper that says, ‘I would not be denied.’”
“When in doubt, stay ‘Melo.”
