Bill Text: NY J01119 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Congratulating Carmelo Anthony, a true basketball icon, upon the occasion of his retirement after a renowned 19-year NBA career

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-31 - ADOPTED [J01119 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J01119-Introduced.html

---

Senate Resolution No. 1119

BY: Senator BAILEY

        CONGRATULATING  Carmelo Anthony, a true basketball
        icon, upon the occasion of his  retirement  after  a
        renowned 19-year NBA career

  WHEREAS,  It  is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor and pay
just tribute to those prominent individuals whose  esteemed  careers  in
athletics  and  contributions to the game of basketball have evolved the
nature of the game, greatly contributing  to  the  enrichment  of  their
community  and the world, and to pay homage to a man whose unprecedented
success and athletic achievement inspires us all; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern  and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
congratulate Carmelo Anthony upon the occasion of his retirement after a
renowned 19-year NBA career; and

  WHEREAS,  Carmelo  Anthony,  the  star  forward  who  led   Syracuse
University  to  an NCAA championship in his lone college season and went
on to spend 19 years in the NBA, announced his retirement on Monday, May
22, 2023; he retires as the No. 9 scorer in league history  with  28,289
total points; and

  WHEREAS,  With  a legacy which has long been secure, Carmelo Anthony
ends his playing days after being selected as one  of  the  75  greatest
players  in NBA history, a 10-time All-Star, a past scoring champion and
a six-time All-NBA selection; and

  WHEREAS, Named the Most Outstanding Player of the  2003  Final  Four
when  he  led Syracuse to the national championship, Carmelo Anthony was
selected as the third overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft by  the  Denver
Nuggets  where  he immediately demonstrated his prowess for scoring; his
elite footwork, burly physique and quick  release  on  his  jumper  from
anywhere on the court made him impossible to guard; and

  WHEREAS,  In  his  rookie  year,  Carmelo  Anthony started in all 82
regular-season games, posting an average of 36.5  minutes  playing  time
per game; he also averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2
steals per game that season; and

  WHEREAS,  Carmelo Anthony continued to improve his game performance,
averaging 28.9 points per game in the 2006-07 season, and  becoming  the
second youngest player in NBA history to score 5,000 points; and

  WHEREAS,  One  of  the most prolific scorers in NBA history, Carmelo
Anthony averaged 22.5 points in his 19 seasons,  spending  the  bulk  of
those  years  with  Denver  and  the New York Knicks; he spent his first
seven and a half NBA  seasons  in  Denver,  becoming  the  third-leading
scorer  in  franchise  history;  his Nuggets teams had seven consecutive
winning seasons and earned seven playoff berths; and

  WHEREAS, Carmelo Anthony has long raved about his time with the  New
York  Knicks, and what it was like playing in The Mecca, especially as a
kid who was born in Brooklyn; he was the NBA's leading scorer with  28.7

points per game in 2012-13, when he guided the Knicks to the second-best
record  in  the  Eastern  Conference,  winning 54 games and the Atlantic
Division title; and

  WHEREAS,   Furthermore,  Carmelo  Anthony  provided  many  memorable
performances at Madison Square Garden, including a game in 2014 in which
he scored 62 points, a franchise record; and

  WHEREAS, Throughout his career,  Carmelo  Anthony  also  played  for
Portland,  Oklahoma City, Houston, and ended his career with the Lakers;
and

  WHEREAS, Furthermore, Carmelo Anthony is one of the  ambassadors  to
the  Basketball World Cup, FIBA's biggest event, which will be held this
summer in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia; and

  WHEREAS, A true American basketball legend  and  the  most-decorated
American  men's  Olympic  basketball player of all time, Carmelo Anthony
played in 31 games during four appearances at the Olympics, the most  of
any  U.S.  men's  player ever; his 37 points against Nigeria in the 2012
games is a USA Basketball men's record at an Olympics,  as  are  his  10
three-pointers  from  that  game, and his 13-for-13 effort from the foul
line against Argentina in 2008; and

  WHEREAS, Carmelo Anthony's work ethic and commitment  to  excellence
has  enabled  his  influence  to  extend beyond the realm of basketball;
among  his  many  benevolent  endeavors,  he  formed   a   philanthropic
investment fund in 2020 to invest in communities of color, as well as to
push for causes like changes to the criminal justice system; and

  WHEREAS, While he is passionate about many things, above all Carmelo
Anthony's greatest passion is not his feats on the court, but rather his
son  Kiyan,  a  highly rated high school shooting guard, who remains his
greatest legacy; and

  WHEREAS, A man of colossal talent,  Carmelo  Anthony's  passion  and
dedication  to  the  game  of  basketball  leaves an indelible legacy of
inspiration to his countless fans and all who aspire to greatness;  now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Carmelo Anthony, a true basketball icon, upon the  occasion
of his retirement after a renowned 19-year NBA career; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Carmelo Anthony.