Rare Photos of Carmelo Anthony

SI Staff | May 29, 2014

Rare Photos of Carmelo Anthony /

Rare Photos of Carmelo Anthony

A very young Carmelo poses on a toy horse. How cute.

2002

Carmelo Anthony and Hakim Warrick react during the final minutes of an exhibition game against Upstate New York AAU in Syracuse.

2003

Carmelo Anthony of the national champion Syracuse Orangemen signs autographs as he tours the New York Stock Exchange trading floor. Melo and his coach, Jim Boeheim, rang the exchange opening bell.

2003

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were the two most-coveted high school stars in 2002 -- Anthony a senior at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia (and with a dread-'fro), James a junior at St. Vincent-St. Mary's in Ohio. Anthony went on to win a national championship at Syracuse before being selected by Denver with the No. 3 pick in 2003. LeBron jumped straight to the pros in '03 as the top overall pick.

2003

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

The dynamic duo pose on draft night.

2008

LeBron and Carmelo have remained close over the years. And it's quite obvious they share a lot in common: basketball and affinity for bright leather coats and oversized, diamond-encrusted watches.

2003

Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images

You know those awkward rookie portraits? Here's one of Carmelo.

2003

And another.

2008

And here's one from 2008 All-Star weekend. Nice hat.

2008

Carmelo and Nuggets teammate J.R. Smith enjoy some down time at the Texas-Colorado football game in Boulder, Colo. in 2008.

2007

Anthony paid the QVC guys a visit in 2007 to help sell ... iPod docks? We're as confused (and amused) as you are.

2006

As part of Team USA, Carmelo and his teammates were treated to some gourmet fare after practice for Hoops for Troops in 2006 in Seoul, South Korea.

2005

Carmelo and Diddy (back then he went by P. Diddy) strike a pose at the 2005 All-Star Game.

2006

Carmelo Gene Simmons Gene Simmons' ''friends'' = Oh my.

2009

Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

'Melo's got love for footballers. Especially when they come to his hometown of Baltimore. He got to meet Brazilian star Ronaldinho and Chelsea's Didier Drogba during a World Football Challenge in 2009.

2010

Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Carmelo shows of his bowling skills at a charity event in Colorado.

2005

'Melo and R&B singer Mario graced MTV's live show, TRL, at the Hard Rock Casino in Vegas.

2008

Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo and LeBron attend the U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team unveiling of their new team look to fans in New York before they took off for the 2008 Games in Beijing. The ''Redeem Team'' defeated Spain in the final to capture the gold medal, ending an eight-year drought for the team at major international competitions.

2008

Anthony and Jim Boeheim, a Team USA coach and Carmelo's coach at Syracuse, spent some quality time together in the Big Apple.

2008

The best part of this photo: Check out Barbara Bush and LeBron. They seem to be enjoying a nice bear hug.

2007

Kenyon Martin, Anthony, Allen Iverson and Chucky Atkins -- Denver teammates in 2007 -- enjoyed a round of video games with local elementary students during the Nuggets' annual holiday party at the Pepsi Center.

2009

'Melo and mini-'Melo (his son Kiyan) spend some quality bonding time with coach George Karl in the Nuggets' locker room.

2010

Here's Carmelo roping a fake calf. Why? Because that's what people were doing at the 2010 All-Star Celebrity Game in Dallas.

2009

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

'Melo and Dontaye Draper travel with all the amenities.

2010

Pre-wedding festivities at Amnesia in New York City with Amar'e and Kenyon Martin. Pretty sure Amar'e is flashing a ''No. 1'' sign, but it's unclear what Carmelo and Martin are doing.