BIOGRAPHY
Carmelo Anthony was born in the Red Hook housing projects in Brooklyn, New York City. He is a forward in the NBA.
His father, Carmelo Iriarte, was born in Manhattan to Puerto Rican parents. Iriarte was of African, Spanish, and Indigenous ancestry; some of his roots also traced to Venezuela. His mother, Mary Anthony, is African-American. Iriarte died of cancer when Anthony was two years old. When Anthony turned eight, his family moved to Baltimore, where he honed not only his athletic skills, but his survival skills. Kenny Minor, one of Anthony's childhood friends, said, ""from drugs to killings, to anything you can name that goes on in the roughest parts of town, we've seen and witnessed hands on. Those are the things that teach you toughness and keep you mentally focused on your goals."" Sports would serve as an important diversion from the violence and drug dealing that were pervasive in the housing projects a few blocks from the homes of Anthony and his friends.
At the 2012 London Olympics, Carmelo Anthony joined the elite of US Basketball to win their second consecutive Gold Medal at the summer games. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary team, representing the 75 greatest players in NBA history. As one of basketball's most valuable players and a seven-time All-Star, Anthony is no stranger to the discipline of building a solid foundation to achieve lasting success.
During a time when the best high school basketball players were skipping college to go straight to the NBA, Carmelo Anthony announced his intent to play college basketball at Syracuse University. While leading the Orange to the school's first National Championship in 2003, Anthony earned the tournament's most outstanding player and was the consensus freshman of the year.
In one of the most anticipated NBA drafts, Anthony was selected third overall by the Denver Nuggets and quickly made an impact on the once-struggling franchise. Prior to Anthony's arrival in Denver, the Nuggets owned the worst record in the league. But since Anthony's rookie year, the Nuggets had made it to the playoffs every season. As a three-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA player, Anthony had become the face of Denver basketball.
Anthony was named to the US Olympic Basketball team in 2004 where they earned Bronze medals. Eager to reclaim their place as the world's greatest basketball country, Anthony led the US' greatest players back to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 as co-captain of the Gold Medal-winning "The Redeem Team." Anthony went on to star in the 2012 London Olympics helping secure his second gold medal for the US Olympic Basketball team.
In February of 2011, Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks, a homecoming, as Anthony was born in Brooklyn, New York. He went on to star for the Knicks for seven seasons averaging 24.7 points per game. Following his time with the Knicks, he went on to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trailblazers, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Giving back to his hometown of Baltimore, adopted home Denver, and his current home of New York, Anthony has established charitable ties wherever he has lived. Through an annual 3 on 3 basketball tournament in Baltimore, Anthony helps to fund the revitalization of a community center for local youth through "Melo's H.O.O.D." (Holding Your Own Destiny). In Denver, he is a spokesperson for the Family Resource Center and organizes an annual Christmas party, "A Very Melo Christmas" for less fortunate children. At Syracuse University, Anthony's donations created a new basketball practice facility becoming one of the largest individual donors by a current professional athlete to their school.
Recognized as one of the most charitable celebrities, Anthony continues to go beyond local efforts with major donations for sudden catastrophes like the 2004 South Asian tsunami and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
In 2014, Anthony co-founded and became a partner of Melo7 Tech Partners, LLC, which invests in and develops opportunities primarily in early-stage digital media, consumer internet, and technology ventures. Anthony also is the owner of Puerto Rico’s only professional sports team, the Puerto Rico Football Club.
Anthony's speaking engagements expand on both his professional and charitable experiences. He is a world-renowned athlete who understands the responsibilities that come with his extraordinary abilities and celebrity as he strives to maximize his contributions on and off the court.
