Carmelo K. Anthony Center nearing completion

Earlier this year, we posted on former student-athletes giving back to their institutions. For the most part, these examples were of players who spent a long time at the school, allowing for a bond to occur with the campus.

Carmelo Anthony, a “one-and-done” basketball player who led Syracuse University to the 2003 NCAA National Championship, has given back a tremendous amount regardless of the time spent on campus. Anthony made a $3 million gift back in 2007 to name a new basketball practice facility.

One interesting quote regarding this story comes from Anthony, when he comments on who asked him for the donation. It wasn’t Director of Athletics Daryl Gross or Head Coach Jim Boeheim, but Boeheim’s wife, Juli, who asked Anthony. He comments, “When Juli first came to me and said ‘my husband doesn’t really want to ask you, but I’m going to ask you. We’re trying to build a facility and do you want to be a part of it?’ I said ‘yes’. Then, she broke it down to me with what was going to be needed…”

This is an excellent example of using the entire program to help cultivate and steward a donor, even to the point of making the ask. Anthony had a great relationship with Boeheim and his wife, and in the end his experience on campus made him willing to give back.