You've also been extremely giving
and caring
and philanthropic.
And you have the Carmelo Anthony Foundation.
Why did that start?
It was, it was very simple.
I was once one of them.
So for me, once- I always promised
and made a promise to like my friends
and just my neighborhood and community that
whenever I make it, we all make it.
And I'm coming back regardless of what.
(audience applauding)
I have a surprise for you.
Uh oh.
There's actually someone here
in our audience today
who wants to say, thank you personally.
She is a science teacher in Baltimore.
Uh oh.
Kim Chrystal.
Uh oh, Kim.
(audience applauding)
Kim Chrystal,
did you want to say anything to Carmelo?
I just wanted to say thank you.
A couple of years ago,
I had a project on donors shoes
and you basically donated and funded
every project in west Baltimore.
Yes.
Um, so, and mine was one.
And I had a class of 10 boys at the time.
Cause I was a special education teacher.
And they just thought it was like the neatest thing
because they knew who you were.
So it like meant something to them that you saw them
or saw their need at that time.
Thank you, Kim. Thank you.
Thank you, Kim.
(audience applauding)
So much.
I can, I can picture those boys.
You've brought a tangibility
and a motivational aspect to keep going.
And that to me is being brought down to the ground, too
like it's working.
And I think you had someone in your life
who came in and sort of pushed you.
Yeah. I had a,
I had a couple of people
that just came into my life.
I had a coach, um,
he was one of the hardest coaches I ever had.
Ever.
He was, he was a disciplinarian.
He was a guy who,
I didn't know what he was trying to teach me at the time.
I just felt like he was
just pointing me out,
was singling me out.
But now that I look back at it,
he was very important into my development.
You know, work ethic and, and
being dedicated to something,
and, you know,
coming to practice and working hard
and bringing people along with you.
And, but when I messed up,
he let me know.
Well, we have another surprise for you.
He's standing by on Zoom. It's Jim Boeheim.
Aw man.
Are you there?
I'm here. I'm here.
There you are.
I mean, you know,
you're the head basketball coach at Syracuse.
I mean, hello.
That's so important.
Such a high echelon in your field.
Is there anything that you wanted to share
with Carmelo today?
Be nice.
You know, I wish would've had
Just be nice
I want to clear something up.
I was never really that hard on Carmelo
because it wasn't,
it wasn't, usually you have to correct freshmen
and work with them and change them.
He was pretty well there
when he came to Syracuse.
I'd like to take credit for it, but I'm not.
And you know,
the rest is history. I mean,
he helped us win a national championship the first year.
I think the great thing with Carmelo is mentally,
he's always been ahead
of really everybody,
but as I watch you two talk today,
the thing I think about with Carmelo,
he immediately gave back to Syracuse when he left.
He's given back to every place he's been.
We raised a million dollars
after Carmelo's freshman year here
for Make-A-Wish and Coaches Versus Cancer.
Because he was part of it.
He wanted to be part of it.
And he was a leader as a freshmen.
People that say he couldn't win anything.
He's won three Olympic gold medals.
He won the national championship as a freshman.
And he's given back every place he's been.
And to me,
that's what I love Mellow.
It's not about just, well, the championship was important.
I'll I'll, I'll take that
(audience laughing)
Doesn't hurt.
You're coaching 46 years and you never won one.
You, you know, you're going to appreciate
the one you want, you know.
Coach Boeheim,
I'm so grateful to you showing up today
so we could honor both of your stories with Carmelo.
Thank you, coach Boeheim!
Thanks coach.
Thank you.
(audience applauding)
Thank you so much.
And thank you Kim Chrystal
for bringing us
ten amazing students here with us in that room,
in this room and you representing them.
And Carmelo, you're such a trailblazer.
You're such a good person.
Thank you.
(audience applauding)
Carmelo Anthony's highly anticipated memoir,
"Where Tomorrows Aren't Promised" is out now.
It's incredible, as are you.
(upbeat music)