With a wave of his right hand, Carmelo Anthony acknowledged a crowd that took to its feet to greet him with a hearty ovation during the introduction of the starting lineups. And with a jump shot from the left wing on the New York Knicks’ very first possession, he reminded the thousands in attendance what they had paid to see.

Syracuse’s favorite son, the one who brought home the program’s only national championship, returned to the Carrier Dome on Monday for the first time as a member of the Knicks in an exhibition game against the Philadelphia 76ers, and was met with nothing but adoration. His dazzling talent, which captivated Central New York a decade ago during a magical run to New Orleans, drew a crowd of 8,831 that was peppered with Anthony’s jerseys and roared with his every move.

“I think it’s just good to be back up here, playing up here once again,” Anthony said Monday morning before the game. “Give Syracuse another taste, a glimpse of what’s the upcoming NBA season and the teams. Just want to have some fun tonight.”

And fun he had with a 23-point performance in a game the 76ers ultimately won 98-90, though it was Anthony’s mere presence that mattered more to the fans in attendance.

He said on Monday morning the effect he has on the Syracuse community had yet to sink in, but it began to wash over him on Sunday afternoon during his first visit to the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center since its completion.

His $3-million donation that began the fundraising process of what would eventually become a $19-million facility has led to somewhat of an Anthony shrine in the hallways of the building. Three of his jerseys hang in the main corridor along with countless photos, magazine covers and videos that portray the transformation of a lanky teenager from Baltimore into a national champion and Olympic gold medalist.

“It was kind of surreal for me to be walking around and seeing my name plastered around the building and on the outside of the building,” Anthony said Monday morning. “I was — I don’t know what word to use. But it was shocking to me just to see that. I called my family, I sent them pictures of it, of me outside the building with my name on it. It was just one of the moments that I will probably never forget.”

And the way he changed the landscape of college basketball in the Syracuse community is something its residents will never forget either.

Brandon Triche, a senior on the men’s basketball team and a native of nearby Jamesville, said that run to the national title altered the nation’s perception of Syracuse as a program. The team, led by Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, ascended to the level of the sport’s elite and became entrenched as a desired destination for some of the top recruits in the country.

But Triche said Anthony’s contributions to the community since that magical 2003 season are arguably of greater importance.

“For him to come back it means even more, just because he’s always doing stuff for the community,” Triche said inside the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center on Monday afternoon. “He has a few parks in his name, he has this building. He’s good at basketball, but he’s also helping others out, which is a great thing.”

The most notable, of course, is the basketball facility that was a much-needed upgrade over the outdated Manley Field House. Triche called the locker rooms in Manley “caves” and said the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities in the aptly nicknamed “Melo Center” have certainly aided in the recruitment process.

It’s all of those reasons — the unparalleled basketball success at Syracuse, the impeccable new facility, the continued desire to help the community that built him up — that led people to the Carrier Dome on Monday to catch another glimpse of the school’s most revered player.

And as expected, he impressed. The jump shot came effortlessly, the passes deftly and the smile beamingly as he played nearly 35 minutes on a court over which the 2003 national championship banner hangs. He even stuck out his tongue in a Jordan-esque pose following a rainbow three-pointer that brought the crowd to its feet in the third quarter.

“Overall it was just great to be back playing in this building once again,” Anthony said after the game. “I know how many memories I have in here.”

Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins surmised that 2003 was perhaps the best year of Anthony’s life, and it would be difficult to argue otherwise. Especially considering the boyish grin that seemed glued to his face while on the court on Monday night.

Anthony said simply being back in the Carrier Dome motivates him to try harder to bring an NBA title back to New York. The feeling of bringing a championship to Syracuse is one he hopes to match at the game’s highest level in basketball’s mecca: New York City.

So as he left the Carrier Dome floor with that 2003 banner hanging off to his left, the crowd once again rose to its feet to applaud an effort that held plenty of significance in a game that will be remembered as meaningless. Their favorite son came back, and Syracuse thanked him for it.

“For me, this is where it all began and all started,” Anthony said Monday before the game. “So it’s only right for me to give back.”

Published on October 23, 2012 at 3:02 am

Contact Michael: mjcohe02@syr.edu | @Michael_Cohen13