Carmelo Anthony, a legend from Syracuse, will be honoured for his lifetime achievements. Syracuse, N.Y. — At a ceremony next month, Oak Hill Academy officials will present Carmelo Anthony and his former coach with Lifetime Achievement medals.
The former Syracuse Orange standout, Anthony, played for the renowned coach Steve Smith at Oak Hill Academy for one season.
Anthony, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, attended Towson (Md.) Catholic before spending his final year at Oak Hill, a prep powerhouse in Mouth of Wilson, Va. In the 2001–02 season, Anthony guided Oak Hill to a 32-1 record. During the season, he averaged 21.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists.
That season, Oak Hill played a remarkable game against LeBron James’s team, St. Vincent-St. Mary. James scored 36 points and would be selected first overall in the 2003 NBA draft. The eventual No. 3 pick in the same 2003 draft, Anthony, finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds as Oak Hill defeated them 72-66.
USA Today placed Oak Hill third in the nation at the end of the season.
Smith coached Oak Hill’s teams for 37 seasons before retiring after the 2021-22 campaign. Smith’s teams won 1,21 games and nine national championships. He was named USA Today’s national coach of the year four times.
Anthony would go onto to play at Syracuse where he led the Orange to the 2003 NCAA championship. He was named the Most Outstanding Player at the ‘03 Final Four.
Anthony and Smith will receive their Lifetime Achievement awards at an event at The Four Seasons in Baltimore on Feb. 2.
“Carmelo and Coach Smith represent the pinnacle of what it means to lead with passion and purpose,” Micah Kurtz, the Head of School at Oak Hill Academy, said in a statement. “This event is not only a celebration of their achievements but also a testament to the values that Oak Hill instills in its students.”
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