The 2003 NBA draft was loaded to the brim and produced a jaw-dropping nine All-Stars. While there was plenty of hype surrounding a lot of players in the draft class, two stood out: high school prodigy LeBron James and Syracuse superstar Carmelo Anthony. The common consensus around the draft was that James would be the first overall pick, regardless of who wins the lottery, however, few batted for Anthony to go #1. Among the minority was Dwayne Wade, a member of the 2003 draft class and a future Hall of Famer.
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On ‘The Why with Dwyane Wade’ podcast, the Miami Heat icon had Anthony as a guest, and the duo spoke about playing in the 2002 Coaches vs. Cancer tournament, a nationwide program that raises money for cancer care and research. Anthony’s Syracuse took on Memphis on November 14th, while Wade’s Marquette was scheduled to play Vilanova the following day.
Wade had heard about Anthony, a college freshman who was a high school superstar from Virginia. Explaining his experience of watching the then-Syracuse star play, Wade said,
“You had like 3o, you’d get into the money look so easy. And I’m sitting there like, ‘Damn. I ain’t never seen this up close and personal.’ You were doing it with a smile. You were doing it with flair. And you were just hooping. And I was like, ‘This is the best basketball player I’ve watched with my own eyes. Because I ain’t seen MJ with my own eyes. In my eyes, I’m like, ‘This is the best player I’ve ever watched.””
Concluding his praise, Wade recalled that he walked away thinking Melo will be the 1st overall pick next year.
While Memphis beat Syracuse 70-63, Anthony was the talk of the town after scoring 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Wade admits he hadn’t seen LeBron James, a high school senior in Ohio, in action but was convinced Anthony would go first overall in the 2003 NBA draft.
Wade’s prediction did not come true. The Cleveland Cavaliers picked James with the first overall pick. Shockingly, the Detroit Pistons picked Darko Milicic over Anthony with the second overall pick, allowing the Denver Nuggets to take the Syracuse forward third overall. The Pistons would regret the decision as Milicic was out of the NBA in only nine years, while Anthony embarked on a Hall of Fame career.
Carmelo Anthony’s College Career
Carmelo Anthony joined the Syracuse Orange Basketball team in 2002 and had intended to stay in college for at least two years. He made his debut in an exhibition game against a Nike Elite team scoring 37 points and grabbing nine rebounds, helping his team secure an easy win.
The game against Memphis was Anthony’s second, and he carried on from where he left off in his debut. He led them to a 21-4 record and helped them earn a place in the NCAA College Basketball Tournament. He was spectacular in Syracuse’s run to the final. He averaged 20.2 points and 9.8 rebounds to help his team earn a NCAA National Championship berth against Kansas. He had his best game of the tournament in the semifinal against Texas. He scored 33 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a 95-84 win for Syracuse.
In the championship game, Anthony showcased another side to his game. After providing only eight assists in five previous games, the forward dished seven in the final while scoring 20 points and grabbing ten rebounds to help Syracuse defeat Kansas 81-78 and win their first and only NCAA National title.
Anthony’s incredible performances earned him the Most Outstanding Player award. With his goal of winning a National title complete, he let go of the final three years of his college eligibility and declared for the 2003 NBA draft.
