Mar 5, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) points into the stands before a game against the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / © Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
A few thoughts/notes on former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, who retired earlier this week after 19 seasons in the NBA:
Every Knick fan has their own thoughts about Anthony’s legacy in New York. I shared some of mine here. Whatever you think of Anthony’s performance during his seven-plus seasons as a Knick, there’s one fact that’s indisputable: Anthony made a remarkable impact on hundreds of New Yorkers through his charity work.
A Boston Globe study found that the Carmelo Anthony Foundation was among the most successful and well-run charitable groups associated with a pro athlete. The article said that most of the money raised by Anthony’s foundation comes from Anthony himself. So there’s little overhead and most of the funds raised go straight to the community.
The local community benefited greatly from Anthony’s time in New York. Whether it was Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, the first week of school, or the aftermath of a hurricane, Anthony’s foundation helped people across the metro area.
Those close to him say Anthony was also a staple in local basketball courts and boxing gyms across the city.
“He wasn’t too big to make himself known in the local sports scene and boost people up,” Stuart Goldfarb, who founded a venture capital firm with Anthony, says. “The fact that he feels comfortable going to regular gyms in the community and working out, or working with young boxers, is incredible to me.”
Goldfarb said that the results on the court didn’t impact Anthony’s approach in the community.
“I’ve been around plenty of stars and famous people and most of the time it’s hard for them not to have some bitterness when things don’t go well; and I’ve never seen Melo bitter,” Goldfarb says. “He’s always grateful of the gifts he’s been given.”
We’ll all debate about Anthony’s Knick legacy — the wins, the losses, the…
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