Dec 27, 2014; Sacramento, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings in the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Knicks Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony Praised by NBA Legends

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 11:01 AM ET

New York Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony is on the doorstep of basketball immortality as he is about to be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Before he arrived in the NBA, Anthony was already seen as a star by his Syracuse basketball family.

"He stands out," Syracuse's longtime coach Jim Boeheim told ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

"We've had great players. Going back to [Dave] Bing, who was an incredible player, but Pearl [Washington] and Sherman [Douglas] and Derrick [Coleman] and [Rony] Seikaly, Billy Owens, John Wallace. There's been a lot. But Carmelo won it. It's pretty simple. He was a great player and he won it."

New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony reacts after scoring a three point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Anthony won the 2003 NCAA Tournament with Syracuse, but he was unable to achieve a championship in the NBA for a multitude of reasons. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, but had he gone No. 2 instead of notorious bust Darko Milicic, he could have won several titles as a pro.

"Of course I've thought about it," former Pistons point guard and current Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups told McMenamin. "I mean, I've done that for so long. For so long.

"And I really do believe that had we drafted Melo that year, we would've went on to win at least three championships."

Anthony made the Western Conference Finals in 2009 with the Denver Nuggets, the furthest he made it in the league as a player. He was traded to the Knicks in 2011 and he got to play with another Hall-of-Famer in Jason Kidd in his final NBA season in 2012-13.

"He was not afraid of the moment. He wanted the ball. I think everyone knew when he had the ball he was shooting, not passing," Kidd told McMenamin.

"He was a grown-up. He knew how to keep everybody in the fold. ... One of the biggest things about Melo, he is great on the court, but he's great off the court. He's a great teammate and I say that because it's not just about basketball."

Now, Anthony can officially be forever part of basketball history.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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