Carmelo Anthony gives inspiring Syracuse commencement speech

On Sunday, Carmelo Anthony returned to a place that remains very close to his heart — Syracuse University — to give the commencement speech at his alma mater's graduation ceremony.

Standing in the JMA Wireless Dome where he became a Big East legend, the former Orange star and newly elected Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer spoke for over eight minutes, imparting the wisdom of what he has learned and achieved since leading Syracuse to its only NCAA men's basketball championship as a freshman in 2003.

"I came to this university as a kid from Baltimore with hoop dreams and a whole lot of ambition," said Anthony, who averaged 22.2 points and 10.0 rebounds in 2002-03. "I wanted to make something of myself, and Syracuse gave me that chance. The people here, my coaches, my professors, friends, teammates, that’s what helped shape me.

"I’ll never forget the lessons I learned on the court and in the classroom. I’ll never forget cutting down the nets in 2003, national champions."

"Your path will not be a straight line."@carmeloanthony with wisdom for the Class of 2025#CuseFamily | #SUGrad25 🍊 pic.twitter.com/eOQ5O8KnT9
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) May 11, 2025

Anthony admitted that, as great as that 2002-03 season was, he experienced self-doubt after suffering injuries and receiving criticism. That's when he drew a parallel to the hurdles endured by the 2025 graduating class.

"You went through and you’ve been through a global pandemic, social unrest, uncertainty about the world," Anthony said, "and yet, here you are stronger, smarter, more resilient than ever."

He then went deeper into the key message of his speech — "You don’t have to fit in a box."

"Your path won’t be a straight line, and that’s OK," he said. "When I left for the NBA, I thought basketball would be my whole story, but life had other plans. I found myself just drawn to other passions: business, philanthropy, storytelling. I became an entrepreneur. I started a podcast. I stepped into board rooms and took conversations about culture, ownership, equity, and I realized I was more than just an athlete.

"And so are you. (You are) more than just your major. More than your resume. More than others expect you to be. You don’t have to fit in a box, and I want to tell you that, you don’t have to fit in a box. You can have multiple careers. You can change directions. You can evolve again and again as long as you keep chasing what sets your soul on fire."

Anthony had one stipulation for their journeys. "Don’t forget where you came from, and don’t forget the people who helped you get there," he said.

"I’ve had the blessing of support from my family, my mentors, my team and the support is why I’m standing here today," he added. "That’s why I give back. That’s why I started foundations, funded scholarships, supported young people, because what’s the point of success if you’re not using it to lift others."

Carmelo Anthony gave a very inspiring Syracuse commencement speech

By Joe Lago | 1:16 AM EDT