Carmelo Anthony Reveals Driving Force Behind Unseen Battles Amid HOF Tribute to Basketball Journey

“I won back in 2003, the night I shook David Stern’s hand on that stage.” Carmelo Anthony once told Sports Illustrated. That sense of fulfillment—knowing he had already beaten the odds just by making it to the NBA—was the same spirit Anthony carried into Springfield this weekend, where he officially entered basketball’s immortals as part of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. From the Red Hook projects in Brooklyn to the spotlight of Madison Square Garden, his journey has long been defined by more than just points and highlights.

On Saturday, Melo stood at the podium for 15 minutes and peeled back the layers of that journey. He celebrated the highs, acknowledged the challenges, and opened up about the struggles the game—and the world—often overlooks.

Melo said it best on the Hall of Fame stage: “My why was bigger than me. My why was every kid in the hood who ever thought greatness wasn’t for them. My why was my son, who would watch and would see if his father would fold or fight.”

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Baltimore’s tough housing projects from the age of eight, Melo grew up surrounded by violence, drugs, and poverty. But those same streets taught him survival, grit, and adaptability. Basketball became his escape—and his purpose. Today, that mission continues with his son, Kiyan Anthony, who’s set to wear that same #7 Syracuse jersey, carrying forward the dream. And really, that “why” alone is reason enough to rise above every bit of criticism Melo has faced over the years.

Melo himself put it straight: “I’ve been cheered, criticized. They called me a scorer who couldn’t win. They said I was too loyal, and they said I wasn’t loyal enough. But they didn’t know what it feels like to carry the weight of whole cities, to lace up your sneakers while the world is dissecting your soul. They never saw the lonely nights, the aching knees, the silent battles. But I kept going. I kept shooting and I kept believing, not because I had all the answers, but because I had a why.”

And he’s right—Melo has always been a scorer first, and he wore that label with pride. From Syracuse, where he led the Orange to their first—and only—NCAA title in 2003, averaging 22.2 points and 10 rebounds as a freshman, to the 2006 FIBA World Championship where he shattered scoring records and earned All-Tournament honors, Melo delivered every single time. Add four Olympic medals—including three golds—and 28,289 NBA career points, and honored as the scoring champion in 2012-13, and it’s clear: scoring runs through his DNA, even if a championship ring doesn’t.

Well, Melo’s son Kiyan’s tribute wasn’t far from what Melo said himself. Carmelo’s son, Kiyan Anthony, sent him a heartfelt message via The Players’ Tribune: “Yo pops, it’s Kiy,” Kiyan said. “You’ve been a Hall of Famer to me my whole life. All of that hard work. Every day you grindin’. Nobody seeing you work as hard as you do. Everybody take you for granted.”

Melo and Kiyan’s bond has always been something special—built not just on the court but through shared moments off it, from movies to family memories. And today, as Melo expressed his gratitude to the game, Kiyan sat proudly in the crowd, watching his father’s legacy come full circle.

Carmelo Anthony’s Hall of Fame chapter

Carmelo Anthony’s Hall of Fame weekend hits different when you trace it back to where it all began—Syracuse., He’s only the third former Orange player ever to enter the Hall as a player, following Vic Hanson and Dave Bing. One year, one title, one unforgettable run. “To Syracuse, one year, one championship, one spark that changed everything. You gave me my first shot at belief on a national stage, and I gave you my whole heart.” That March Madness magic didn’t just put Melo on the map it lit the fuse for everything that came after.

Then came Denver, where 19-year-old Melo was handed the keys to an entire franchise. “You gave me your keys as a 19-year-old kid. You let me grow, fall, fly, and become the man standing here today.” Loyalty? Yeah, Melo had plenty. In 2010, when LeBron, Wade, and Bosh joined forces, he had a chance to form a superteam too—but he’d already signed a five-year, $85 million deal because leadership and stability mattered more. “Hell, no. I can’t be that fourth,” he told Paul George. He could’ve chased easy rings, but he chose to carve his own legacy in powder blue, staying true to his city and himself.

And then there’s New York. Melo’s Knicks chapter ended messy, but let’s set the record straight: he didn’t walk away, he was pushed out. “Bro, I don’t understand this s—. To this day, I really don’t understand it. There’s no explanation,” Melo said on The Why with Dwyane Wade. Phil Jackson’s tenure turned toxic, yet people still question his loyalty.

Look at the numbers: 10,186 points (7th all-time), 24.7 points per game (3rd in franchise history), 412 games, and that iconic 62-point night on January 24, 2014. “You gave me more than a jersey. You gave me an identity… You show me what it means to carry a city on your back with grace, with grit and with love to the fans.”

And through it all, Melo’s final love letter belongs to the game itself. “To the game of basketball: you were my way out. But more than that, you were my way in… You gave my pain purpose. You gave my past and future.” It gave him his “why”.