Knicks Legend to Be Honored By Alma Mater

Before the Orange and before the New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony had the Warriors.

Per longtime NBA writer Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, the Knicks legend will be honored by his alma mater of Oak Hill (VA) Academy, which will bestow him a Lifetime Achievement Award in Baltimore on Sunday night.

“Oak Hill Academy changed my life,” Anthony said in Robinson's report. "If I had stayed back in Baltimore with school, I probably would not be here right now.”

Anthony was accomplished enough at Towson Catholic in Maryland but transferred to Oak Hill Academy for his senior season. But his single season at Oak Hill offered him stability both on and off the floor and catapulted him to new heights that set the tone for the rest of his basketball career.

June 27, 2003; Akron, OH, USA; St. Vincent-St. Mary junior LeBron James and Oak Hill senior Carmelo Anthony meet at half court after the Irish's 72-66 loss. James had 36 points in the game. Mandatory Credit: Phil Masturzo-USA TODAY NETWORK | Akron Beacon Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

Under the watch of longtime Oak Hill head coach Steve Smith. Anthony leaped onto NBA radars and guided the already-lauded Warriors' boys basketball program to new heights. He averaged over 21 points and eight rebounds in his sole showing at Oak Hill and gained the academic eligibility that allowed him to move onto Syracuse University.

The work at Oak Hill paid off and then some: Anthony won a national collegiate title at Syracuse and became the third overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft. Anthony still stands as one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, placing 12th after earning over 28,000 points in a 19-year career that featured seven seasons with the Knicks.

One of Anthony's final representations of Oak Hill, ironically enough, came at Madison Square Garden, where he partook in the 2002 McDonald's All-American Game. The showcase also featured future NBA stars Chris Bosh and JJ Redick, as well as his future Knick teammates Raymond Felton and Amar'e Stoudemire.

Smith is likewise set to be honored alongside Anthony on Sunday. While he has overseen the hardwood upbringing of numerous NBA stars (such as Brandon Jennings, Rajon Rondo, and Jerry Stackhouse), none of them left an impression like Anthony's.

“It’s such an honor to be able to recognize 2002 Oak Hill alum Carmelo Anthony for all that he has achieved in the game of basketball," Smith told Robinson. "I had the privilege of coaching many great players in my thirty-nine year career at Oak Hill. Melo is undoubtedly the greatest Warrior, for many reasons, to play on the Hill.”

Per Robinson, proceeds from Sunday's event will be used to fund scholarships established in Anthony and Smith's respective names.

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