I feel sorry for Cleveland....open at your own risk

[Chicago JK]

No not for their team, but look who they got to report on the young and developing Cavs? I can't wait for the Lebron pieces.








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Anthony taking off without baggage

06/17/03

Jodie Valade
Plain Dealer Reporter


Carmelo Anthony has accomplished so much in 19 years. He is a national champion. He is a Final Four MVP. He is college educated (granted, just one year) and he is simply a very talented basketball player.

But more often these days, he is defined by what he is not.

He is not, for instance, going to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft on June 26. Which means he is not headed to Cleveland.


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He does not have a $90 million Nike deal, and he has not been labeled anyone's "Chosen One." He does not even have a nickname befitting royalty, in stead opting for the simple and telling, "Melo."

He is good friends with Le Bron James, but for all the accolades and expectations the budding basketball stars share, there are more differences to distinguish the two than simi larities to group them together.

He is not Akron's James in so many ways, and his mother, Mary Anthony, is grateful for every little difference. Her son has not become an all-encom passing athletic entity - not yet, at least - and she never wants Anthony to become a business in which she is an em ployee.

"I'm always going to be his mother," Mary Anthony said from her Baltimore home. "I'm there to continue guiding his way and well-being. I'm not going to get deeply involved in it [the business side].

"I don't want to be an em ployee. I'm a mother. A whole mother."

She is the one, after all, who insisted that Anthony attend col lege for at least one year, just to experience university life and learn the benefits of education. That meant Anthony had to take the SAT over and over until he earned a score that allowed eligibility at Syracuse. And he swears he still intends to earn his de gree from Syracuse, though he was undecided on a major after one year.

Mary Anthony is also the one who pushed her son to seek refuge in a private high school when his grades slipped as his basketball prowess grew when he was a junior in Towson, Md. Anthony attended basketball power Oak Hill Academy in Virginia for his senior year and was the star on a team that produced seven Division I players.

And she worked hard as a sin gle mother - Carmelo Sr. died when his son was 2 - to support Carmelo and his older brother and sister in a tough neighbor hood.

All of that is why Anthony grumbled when he learned Den ver - the small forward's likely destination - had won the No. 3 pick in the NBA draft, because Colorado is so far from his Balti more home. But Mary Anthony intends to move with her son to guide him through at least his first year in his new job as a pro athlete.

"He's still a young boy and he still needs guidance," Mary An thony said. "I help him make decisions. He'll ask my opinion and I'll give it to him, but I don't make decisions for him."

It was Anthony's decision, for instance, to proceed with his $18 million deal with Nike in stead of waiting to see how James might dictate the market, as his agent suggested. Anthony was sure of his preference and sure of the fairness of the deal, so he signed the contract.

And it was Anthony's decision to leave after just one year at Syracuse - where he won a na tional championship and was everybody's freshman of the year.

"I accomplished what a lot of people dream of in one year," Anthony said simply.

Anthony's Final Four perform ance, when he averaged 26.5 points and 12 rebounds in games against Texas and Kan sas, was so exhilarating that whispers rumbled suggesting he should dethrone James as the top pick in the NBA draft. Those whispers have since abated, but his talent is unquestioned.

"He might be the best basket ball player in the draft right now," said one Western Conference scout. "In terms of being able to contribute right now. Other guys will be taken ahead of him because they have so much more on the horizon, but he is an impact player."

Said a scout for a draft lottery team: "Of all the players in the draft, he reminds me a little of Magic Johnson more than any other. He's got the kind of game where he could be a player who scores, passes and rebounds. He put his team right on his back and led them to the NCAA title."

Anthony's well-rounded game is his greatest appeal, and what his wiry 6-8 frame lacks in power, he makes up for with versatility and explosiveness.

He is not guaranteeing domi nance, and he is not predicting precisely how he will impact the NBA. "Not with anything specific - just a little bit of every thing," Anthony said.

Which might or might not be how anyone else enters the NBA, but Anthony is not always de fined by everything he isn't.

He is, after all, about to be come a star, himself.

[Drbio]

I like Anthony. he's a good kid and it's refreshing to me that he signed the Nike deal wihtout worrying what someone else got. He was comfortable with it and he did it. Good for him. It's not like he is going to spend 18 million anyways....probably.

I hope this kid is an NBA star.

[Drbio]

Oh and by the way.....Valade sucks.

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Chicago JK]

Originally posted by: Drbio
I like Anthony. he's a good kid and it's refreshing to me that he signed the Nike deal wihtout worrying what someone else got. He was comfortable with it and he did it. Good for him. It's not like he is going to spend 18 million anyways....probably.

I hope this kid is an NBA star.

Look who wrote the article...that is why I posted it.

[Chicago JK]

Originally posted by: Drbio
Oh and by the way.....Valade sucks.

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

ha ha

[Chicago JK]

Originally posted by: Drbio
Oh and by the way.....Valade sucks.

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

ha ha

[signoftimes]

Oh and by the way.....Valade sucks.

Couldn't have said it better myself

[OutletPass]

how many wish that we could get Melo....he's the 3 we need.

Oops...time to wake up from my dream.

[one long blue sock]

I think Magette is the 3 we need, and we dont have to dream to get him.

[MFFL]

Originally posted by: one long blue sock
I think Magette is the 3 we need, and we dont have to dream to get him.

There isn't a scenario that I can think of that would land Magette here. Sterling would match the MLE and Sterling doesn't do sign and trades.

Back to the topic - Melo would be an OUTSTANDING addition to the Mavs

[Mandyahl]

carmelo would be great to have, but i just don't see him coming here. i would love to be proven wrong on this though.