"Somebody I'll always f**k with" - Carmelo Anthony opens up on bond with Lil Wayne after rapper "validated" him pre-NBA fame
NBA legend Carmelo Anthony recently recounted his difficult transition from college to the pros. According to the 10-time All-Star, receiving rap star Lil Wayne's "validation" coming out of college marked an unforgettable moment for him before his NBA fame.
Anthony experienced immense success during his lone year at Syracuse University (2002-03 season). After winning NCAA Freshman of the Year, he led the Orange to their first-ever national championship, securing the tournament's Most Outstanding Player honors.
Anthony's sensational college run helped make him a top-ranked prospect in the stacked 2003 NBA draft class, with the Denver Nuggets later selecting him third. Nevertheless, according to Anthony, he didn't feel validated until he started getting stamps of approval from people at the top of their respective fields.
On "7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony & Kid Mero" Tuesday, Anthony recalled his first encounter with Lil Wayne in 2003. He underscored how surreal it was to realize one of his favorite rappers not only knew who he was but was also one of his fans.
"That's what validates all the work that you put in, when people who are already there, when they validate you being a part of their world now," Anthony said.
"We won the national championship, and Lil Wayne — I go to Miami, like my first vacation for my birthday, and we were walking ... and Wayne gets out of the car and starts yelling. I'm like, 'Yo, nah, that ain't Wayne, that ain't Lil Wayne.' He was like, 'Yo, I'm a big fan.'"
Anthony added that his and Lil Wayne's brief interaction made him a lifelong supporter of the hip-hop star.
"So, from that moment, I was always like, 'No matter what, that is someone I will always really f**k with and really rock with,'" Anthony said.
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After receiving Lil Wayne's support, Carmelo Anthony struggled adjusting to the NBA
During Tuesday's podcast, Carmelo Anthony also touched on his initial NBA experiences. According to the six-time All-NBA selectee, despite being respected by high-profile celebrities like Lil Wayne, he had to adjust to players being part of cliques.
"It was segregated in a sense because you had the guys who were already the vets in the league," Anthony said. "Everybody had a crew back then. It was all about entourages and s**t back then, like who had the biggest entourage. ... You had your own s**t, so you weren't really rocking with anybody."
However, Anthony noted that he and fellow 2003 NBA draftees Dwyane Wade and LeBron James "broke that mold" by developing an early-career friendship.
"We came to the forefront, like, 'Yo, we're cool, but we're [still] gonna compete,'" Anthony said.
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Anthony, Wade and James each went on to have illustrious careers, with the latter still playing, gearing up for his NBA record-tying 22nd season. Meanwhile, their friendship prevailed, with the trio having one of the league's most well-documented tight bonds.
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