After roughly two years, 19 million dollars and hours of endless work, the Carmelo K. Anthony basketball center officially opened its doors to the Syracuse men’s and women’s basketball teams Thursday.

But minutes prior to Anthony’s snip of the customary orange ribbon with gold scissors, the former SU superstar was facing a final dilemma – one final hurdle the pristine building needed to overcome.

The building’s ceremonial first shot.

‘My first shot is going to bless the court, but don’t hold it against me,’ said Anthony, who led the Syracuse men’s team to its lone national title in 2003. ‘If I make it, I make it. If I don’t, I don’t. I’m going to be upset if I miss it. It’s been a long week.’

Minutes later Anthony played the role of the building’s figurative friar, as he christened the state-of-the-art home for SU basketball with a swish, despite his getup of denim jeans and a plaid button-down shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

The shot and the preceding ceremony outside marked the ‘Melo Center’s official opening. The building adjacent to Manley Field House holds two practice courts, a strength and conditioning room, an athletic training suite, locker room facilities and offices complete for both the men’s and women’s coaching staffs.

Anthony, an All-Star forward for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, donated $3 million toward the construction of the facility.

SU Director of Athletics Daryl Gross said the building is exactly what men’s head coach Jim Boeheim deserves. Boeheim was introduced as the man who will hold the figurative keys to the building.

‘He (Boeheim) deserves this facility, and I am just so happy for him that he has this crown jewel,’ Gross said.

Gross, Boeheim and SU’s women’s basketball coach Quentin Hillsman all sat together behind the podium. The men’s and women’s teams flanked the trio behind them underneath the life-sized ‘Carmelo K. Anthony’ letters brandishing the front of the building.

It’s a home the two head coaches cherish for how it will benefit practice scheduling and recruiting. Yet at the same time, both coaches deferred all credit to the 2003 national champion, Anthony.

‘Nobody has ever given this kind of a gift,’ Boeheim said. ‘A player who is still playing the game, that’s unbelievably important. That speaks volumes. That’s what you have to measure somebody by.’

Boeheim spoke to the audience of invited guests, which included former SU legend and NBA player John Wallace, after Gross and Hillsman. Boeheim also gave kudos to his wife, Juli, for providing Anthony with the idea of contributing the $3 million he gave for the center.

‘My wife was the one responsible for asking him (to be the namesake of the ‘Melo Center),’ Boeheim said. ‘And the next day it was done.’

Boeheim then introduced Anthony to a standing ovation. He briefly addressed the crowd for about one minute. In that time, he spoke primarily about recruiting, which may be the most important benefit from the new facility.

‘Hopefully we can be in the top five recruiting classes next year for both programs,’ Anthony said.

Seconds later, after the plaudits died down, Anthony was the first to enter the center officially, as Boeheim fittingly grabbed the door and opened it for him. He was on his way to that ceremonial first shot he was speaking about earlier.

A shot Anthony made sure wasn’t a complete gimme. After all, earlier in the day during Anthony’s personal press conference in his former practice facility, Manley Field House, a reporter suggested that Anthony simply dunk the ball, ensuring a successful attempt.

Said Anthony: ‘No. I can’t do that.’

aolivero@syr.edu

Published on September 26, 2009 at 12:00 pm