Some stars get famous, pack their bags, and never look back. Others pop in for the photo-ops, drop a donation, and call it “community.” But Carmelo Anthony? He built a love letter to the city that raised him — one you can actually walk through.
On Saturday, October 25, the 41-year-old NBA Hall of Famer cut the ribbon at the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Central Branch in Baltimore, unveiling a massive, free exhibit built to celebrate where he came from.
According to the library, “the exhibit will transform our historic 350,000-square-foot building into House of Melo HQ. Visitors will experience rare artifacts, personal collections, and cultural mementos that highlight Anthony’s impact on sports, style, business, and social justice.”
The next day, Baltimore’s mayor, Brandon Scott, couldn't help but gush over the hometown legend.
“Yesterday, Baltimore celebrated a man who is not only a NCAA Champion, Olympic Champion, NBA All Star and Basketball Hall of Famer but, someone who embodies the spirit of our city,” Scott wrote on Instagram. “Like many of us who grew up in Baltimore during the 80s, 90s and 00s @carmeloanthony didn't have it easy. In fact it was almost as if they wanted us to fail. But Melo pushed through it all… And through it all he never forgot this city and its people.”
Wrapping up, Scott said, “Congratulations my brother we love you!”
Anthony made it clear the feeling’s mutual. "I'm from five minutes away from here, right around the corner,” he told CBS News. “So to be able to just come here, it's full circle, man, and see these people, see the city. See the city smiling again.”
That connection to home runs through every corner of the House of Melo. “I want these kids to know that they can make it being from Baltimore, and this entire exhibit is an example of just that,” Anthony said. “You don’t have to change who you are or where you’re from to chase your dreams."
The interactive experience includes everything from a full-sized basketball court to a “Soundtrack of Life” wall lined with 41 albums from Anthony’s personal collection — including one he says still gets him hyped like it’s Game 7: “My Way” by Frank Sinatra.
And while his playing days are behind him, Anthony’s next chapter is still rooted in movement — just a different kind. “Basketball was the foundation,” he said, “but legacy is built on what you give back beyond the game.”
Off the court and outside of Baltimore, Anthony’s been busy. This year he checked off one of the biggest boxes in the game with his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and he shows no signs of slowing down. On October 21, he made his debut as a studio analyst for NBC Sports, joining the network’s broadcast team as the NBA officially returned to NBC and Peacock.