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Carmelo Anthony named finalist for PBWA humanitarian award

By Tony Heim

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 14: Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks uses a drill gun during the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service 'PLAY' with KaBOOM as part of the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend on February 13, 2014 at the KIPP Leadership Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 14: Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks uses a drill gun during the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service 'PLAY' with KaBOOM as part of the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend on February 13, 2014 at the KIPP Leadership Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Carmelo Anthony may be struggling on the court, but his work away from the game deserves just as much attention.

Throw out everything we’ve seen from Carmelo Anthony on the basketball court this season. The OKC Thunder forward has struggled – we’ve all seen it. Instead we’re here to shine light on the incredible work Melo has done off the court.

On Wednesday the Press Basketball Writers Association announced their five finalists for the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Carmelo joined a star-studded list of humanitarians: J.J. Barea, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Dwyane Wade.

Anthony has thrown himself into the Oklahoma City community since joining the Thunder, but his work goes far beyond his basketball home. His efforts include:

  1. Helping raise over $450,000 and over 100,000 pounds of food for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
  2. Paying for Baltimore children’s transportation to attend the March for Lives event in Washington DC over the weekend.
  3. Providing groceries for families in OKC so they were ensured a Thanksgiving dinner.

Say what you want about Carmelo and his play, but the 33-year old is one of the better human beings in the game. When Melo discovered his nomination this was his response (including my favorite quote):

"It’s a motivation to keep it going, but I think at the end of the day I do it because I love to do it, I love to give back, I love to kind of touch the people and feel the people. It’s good that people notice it even when you’re not doing it for the actual recognition. You’re doing it for the sake of the people and the communities that you actually help."

Carmelo is a genuinely good person, somebody that fits well in the Oklahoma City community and this Thunder team. It’s moments like these that we have to remember that basketball is just a game that happens to provide us with significant emotional highs and lows.

Carmelo Anthony may not be providing the basketball support we all expected from this season. That’s okay – Melo’s work for disadvantaged people is making this world a better place.

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