“For me, I would say my upbringing, growing up, was tough, difficult, things you shouldn’t see as a kid growing up, anywhere from d—- to m—– to p———- to that, whatever it was.” Carmelo Anthony once said, pausing just short of listing it all. That’s the environment Melo came from. The same one that pushed him toward greatness.

Before the 10 All-Star nods and $160 million net worth, Melo was just a kid from the projects of Baltimore, raised by a single mother after his father passed away when he was just 2. His mom, Mary Anthony, held it all together—working maintenance at a local hospital while raising three kids on her own. That hardship didn’t just shape Melo—it fueled him. And now, after a 19-year NBA career, he’s using that same fire to power his next chapter in life and business. Because while basketball gave him the spotlight, struggle gave him the edge.

And acclaimed NBA writer Marc J. Spears recently shared what it was like covering the early years of young Carmelo Anthony. “I started covering NBA in ’99. So Melo was the first guy I got to cover. So I saw, my Melo had the cornrows and the braids, and he probably hates me telling this story…”

On The OGs podcast, Spears continued, “Melo came from nothing, man. They used to be like eight of them in a two-bedroom apartment, and they put their money together and get McDonald’s and all share it.” So far, everything looks normal, but then the Hall of Fame-credited writer shared what experiences the Syracuse legend had to learn and adapt.

“So when he visited the Nuggets, they took him to this high-end steakhouse. I guess he had never been to one and he put ketchup on the steak. Listen, he’s from where he’s from.” In fact, the host of the show, Udonis Haslem, empathized with Carmelo Anthony’s experience and explained how he learned the hard way about the etiquette of eating a steak. “No, listen. I had to learn hard way, too. I asked for steak sauce in the restaurant one time. They told me if it’s a good steak, you don’t need steak sauce.” Adding ketchup or any sauce is not forbidden.

But many believe it dilutes the flavor, and properly cooked steak is very flavorful and doesn’t need any sauces to enhance it. Another belief is that some people put ketchup on steak, probably trying to disguise the bad flavor of a low-quality piece of meat. This would point towards the humble upbringing of Melo.

From Baltimore to stardom, the reason why Carmelo Anthony never gave up

“I didn’t realize or recognize what was our goals. My goal was really to get her (pointing at his mom) out of West Baltimore, that’s it.” This year in February, the Oak Hill Academy Lifetime Achievement Awards Ceremony honored the 10x All-Star. Melo admitted he didn’t really have basketball goals when he came to the Virginia school. But he had one major priority off the court that he wanted to achieve, and that was to help his mom.

Helping his mother out of Baltimore fueled a fire inside of Carmelo Anthony. “I got to take this serious. If I don’t, I am going back to Baltimore. So that was my approach, but I also learned discipline.” Born in Brooklyn, New York, Anthony moved to the project housing system of Baltimore at 8 years old, where he encountered the harsh realities of urban, substandard life. That’s why he previously stated violence, d—, and poverty surrounded his childhood.

Despite the chaos that surrounded his early life, basketball became Carmelo Anthony’s escape — and eventually, his purpose. From the streets of New York to NBA stardom, Melo carved out a legendary career, retiring as one of the greatest hoopers the Big Apple has ever produced. Now, the spotlight shifts to the next generation.

His son, Kiyan Anthony, is following in his footsteps — beginning his own journey at Syracuse, the same college where Melo’s rise to fame began. While Kiyan isn’t battling the same financial struggles his father once faced, he’s stepping into a world where expectations are sky-high. After all, when your last name is Anthony and your father is a Knicks icon, the comparisons are inevitable.

The legacy looms large — but so does the opportunity.