Report: Syracuse set to retire Carmelo Anthony’s jersey against Georgetown

syracusegamedayr | January 17, 2013 at 2:47 pm | 1 Comment

New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) smiles and reacts after he made a basket against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic 114-106. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

On Feb. 23, in Syracuse’s final Big East meeting with Georgetown (‘Cuse joins the ACC next year and G’Town and the six other basketball-only schools in the conference are splitting away as well), the Orange will honor arguably the program’s most famous alum by retiring Carmelo Anthony’s No. 15 jersey, according to CBSSports.com.

Anthony was the primary catalyst for the team’s first and only national championship. For those of you out there who thought you were young, the jersey ceremony will help commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the program’s title run.

Yes, Melo, along with Hakeem Warrick, Gerry McNamera and the rest of the Orange finished 30-5 and won the 2003 championship as an NCAA Tourney 3-seed.

Anthony averaged 22.2 points and 10 boards in his first and only season in upstate New York. Following the year, he entered the NFL Draft and was taken third-overall by the Denver Nuggets.

He becomes the 10th player to earn such honors as an Orangeman. Melo’s jersey will join Dave Bing’s, Derrick Coleman’s, Sherman Douglas’, Billy Gabor’s, Vic Hanson’s, Billy Owens’, Wilmeth Sadat-Singh’s, Rony Seikaly’s and Pearl Washington’s atop the massive marshmallow rooftop of the Carrier Dome.

Congrats, from everyone at CuseNation.