Returning to Campus 22 Years After Leading Syracuse to a National Championship, the Basketball Great and Proud Father Encourages Students to Evolve
5/12/25 – – It’s graduation time on college campuses. That means we get treated to commencement addresses by accomplished individuals hoping to inspire young people heading into the next chapters of their lives.
Yesterday, the Syracuse University class of 2025 heard from Carmelo Anthony, who in 2003 led the school’s basketball team to an NCAA National Championship. “Melo,” as he is affectionately known to Syracuse alums like me, delivered his remarks in the dome stadium in which he ruled the court as a student athlete. He told the graduates: “This building was my launchpad for my life . . . this is your time . . . this is your launch pad.”
After his time at Syracuse, Anthony was a 10-time NBA All-Star, won three Olympic gold medals for the U.S. and pursued successful careers in business, philanthropy and media. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year.
He assured the audience, “You can evolve again and again, as long as you keep chasing what sets your soul on fire.”
Anthony’s son Kiyan, not a bad basketball player himself, will be a freshman at Syracuse this fall. He described his son’s enrollment as, “One of the proudest moments of my life . . . but it’s not just about following in my footsteps, it’s about watching him create his own story.”
If you’re interested in some inspiration from a very accomplished guy, take a moment (8.5 minutes to be exact) to watch Carmelo’s address, linked below. And always follow his parting advice: “When in doubt, stay melo” (which is also how you pronounce the name of his new STAYME7O cannabis brand – – I told you he’s a business man).
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