Carmelo Anthony was born in Brooklyn, New York, in Raised in Baltimore, Anthony became the No. As a freshman he led Syracuse University to the national title in That same year he was drafted third overall by the Denver Nuggets, becoming one of the league's top scorers. Raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Anthony experienced a bumpy childhood. When he was 2, his father, Carmelo Iriarte, died of liver failure. That left the care of the young boy and his three older siblings in the hands of his mother, Mary, who kept food on the table by working as a housekeeper.
While the world around the Anthony family was the rough, drug-infested area of Baltimore known as the Pharmacy, inside the home, Mary kept her children on a short leash. She pushed Carmelo in particular to stay on top of his schoolwork. While Anthony began playing basketball at a young age, it wasn't until he was cut from his high school team as a freshman that he started to seriously focus on his game. By his sophomore season, Anthony had grown five additional inches and brought to the court a level of talent that made him a local star.
Naturally, college coaches around the country took notice, and by his junior year, Anthony had committed to playing for Syracuse University. But in order to meet the school's academic requirements, Anthony transferred to Oak Hill Academy, a Virginia private boarding school with a strict disciplinary culture that has long catered to future National Basketball Association players.
The transition for Anthony proved tough, but he stuck with it and eventually raised his test scores and his game, becoming the highest-ranked high school basketball player in the country. Instead, he kept his commitment to Syracuse and entered the school as a student in the fall of At Syracuse, Anthony quickly adapted to the college game.
As the Orangemen's top player, he led the club to its first national championship, in the spring of , with an upset win over the favored University of Kansas. In the game, Anthony led all scorers with 20 points, while also collecting 10 rebounds. Capping a magical season for the freshman player, Anthony was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
