Syracuse Welcomes Home Former SU Basketball Stars

Knicks' Carmelo Anthony ©Anthony Castellano

By Jessica Eley

More than 11,000 fans came to the Carrier Dome Tuesday night to see the New York Knicks play the Philadelphia 76ers in a preseason game.

While only one of the three SU alums on the teams played, he gave the crowd a show.

The Knicks 6'8 power forward, Carmelo Anthony, played during the game. The Sixers' Michael Carter-Williams and Jerami Grant supported their team while suited up on the bench. They were both unable to play due to injury.

Anthony was greeted with a standing ovation the minute he emerged from the tunnel and stepped onto the court.

"It was a great atmosphere, great fans, the energy was unbelievable," Anthony said.

He led his team in scoring with 17 points. He played 27 minutes during the game, more than anyone else on his team.

With 5:42 left in the fourth quarter, Anthony checked out of the game, put on his warm up shirt and many fans began to leave the dome.

The Knicks beat the Sixers 84-77.

Michael Carter-Williams and Jerami Grant ©Anthony Castellano

Carter-Williams is recovering from surgery on his right shoulder and Grant is recovering from a sprained ankled that occurred before pre-season practices began.

Sixers head coach, Brett Brown, said the team's staff has a lot of experience dealing with injured players and they know how to deal with this situation.

"Right now we're just trying to go slowly and give them the patience they deserve...
I think it's a killer for a rookie (Grant)  to miss training camp," Brown said.

Brown said he tries to keep coaching Grant while he is unable to play because he can get so dispirited and bored from not being able to participate in practice.

"There's still opportunity to teach. Whatever we can do like show him video of Kawhi Leonard or just simply talk to him and educate him," Brown said.

Nonetheless, Carter-Williams and Grant said they were both happy to be back at their alma mater.

Carter-Williams said the first thing he did when he got to town was stop by Insomnia cookies, then go and visit old friends.

Grant said the thing he missed most about Syracuse were the fans and  his friends.

"It's great to be here and be in front of everybody that I got to play in front of when I was here, this is a great environment," Grant said.