Carmelo Anthony Full Highlights 2016.03.30 at Mavericks - 31 Pts.
New York City Carmelo Anthony was the first one-and-done player to come out of Syracuse University.
So when Malachi Richardson was in the process of deciding whether to enter the NBA draft after just one year at Syracuse, who better to talk to than Melo himself?
On Friday, April 8, less than a week after Syracuse"s season had ended with a loss to North Carolina in the NCAA Final Four, Richardson returned to his parents" home in Trenton, N.J., for the weekend.
That night, Richardson went to see Anthony"s New York Knicks play the Philadelphis 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
He got the chance to chat with Anthony about his future and his pending decision on the NBA draft.
"He told me if I felt comfortable enough to go, then go,"" Richardson said Wednesday at the NBA"s pre-draft media day at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan. "He didn"t tell me just to go, but he said if I was comfortable with leaving school and going to the NBA, then go.""
Richardson, a 6-foot-6 guard, eventually did decide to leave Syracuse and enter the NBA draft. The NBA draft will be held on Thursday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Richardson, who is one of 19 players invited to be in the NBA"s Green Room during the draft, is expected to be a Top 20 pick.
Richardson said he had not talked to Anthony since their conversation in Philadelphia back in early April.
It made sense for Richardson to seek advice from Anthony. Anthony might have spent just one at Syracuse, but his impact on the program is still felt 13 years later. Not just because Anthony led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA title, but also because his name is on the building where current SU players, including Richardson, now practice and train.
"You definitely got to look up to Melo,"" Richardson said. "He was the one guy that took the team to a national championship game and won. He"s had a great career and, hopefully, he gets a championship in the league.""
Their meeting in Philadelphia wasn"t the first time that Richardson and Anthony had talked. Anthony called to congratulate the Syracuse players after they advanced to the Final Four with a win over Virginia in the NCAA tournament.
"I was able to talk to him on the phone,"" Richardson said.
While Anthony"s counsel didn"t really tell Richardson what do to, Richardson still took them to heart before making his decision.
"There"s always uncertainty with everything,"" he said, "but you"ve just go to believe in yourself.""
Source: http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2016/06/syracuses_malachi_richardson_talked_to_carmelo_anthony_before_making_nba_draft_d.html
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