Syracuse made NCAA history when they clinched the 2003 championship, with Carmelo Anthony leading the way. It was their first championship in 77 years! In fact, they could have even gone for two. As it turns out, Melo was looking forward to more time there. However, one man, the coach of the Syracuse Orange basketball team, had a better plan for the young star.

During the latest episode of 7 PM in Brooklyn, Melo opened up about a heated exchange with his former coach, Jim Boeheim, regarding his return to college. Expressing doubts about entering the NBA directly, Anthony revealed a desire to experience more college life. Yet, his own coach wanted him to declare for the NBA draft. 

The New York Knicks legend recently revealed the details of that conversation. Speaking of his interaction with Coach Boeheim, Carmelo Anthony shared, “And I told him, If we lose I’m coming back…That was a real tear. I’m like, I’m coming back. We had a real heated argument…” 

However, Boeheim recognized the greatness in his young star. Despite having the chance to repeat in the NCAA tournament with Carmelo, Boeheim did not want to interrupt the young star’s growth. He knew that Anthony was league-ready and would get selected near the top of the NBA Draft so he simply told the young player, “Get the f**k out of here. I better not see you back on the campus.”

Jim Boeheim is one of the seasoned veterans in the basketball world. Earlier this year, he ended his 47-year-long tenure as the head coach of the Syracuse Orange. With a wealth of basketball experience, Boeheim had a keen understanding of his players’ readiness for the NBA.

Carmelo Anthony is one the greatest one-and-done prospects of all time

In his book, Jim Boeheim mentioned how Melo didn’t get the perfect grades in college but he was certainly the best on the court. The Hall of Fame coach was well aware of Anthony’s talent and wanted to push him towards his destiny. Melo might not have got to stay longer in college, but Boeheim wasn’t wrong either. 

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Teenaged Carmelo Anthony was selected as the third overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in 2003. The 6’7″ forward earned about $262.5 million during the 19 seasons he spent in the league. He achieved three gold medals while representing the United States in the Summer Olympics.

During his NBA peak, there was nobody who could deny Anthony points in an isolation setting. From his iconic 3-point celebration to the mythical ‘Hoodie Melo’, Anthony’s career was legendary until the very end. And Jim Boeheim was largely responsible for Melo’s major and life-changing decision.

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Carmelo Anthony has always held the coach in high regard for that reason. Do you think Boeheim was right? Could Syracuse have secured more than a single national championship, if he had extended his tenure with the program for one more season? Do tell us in the comments section below.