Over the year, Portland Trail Blazers star Carmelo Anthony has become renowned for not only his prolific scoring ability, but for how much he has given back to the community.
Even with the 2019-20 NBA campaign in limbo, Anthony is continuing to live up to that reputation.
The Portland Trail Blazers forward, an ambassador for the Jordan Brand, has announced scholarships for 32 Wing Scholars. The students will receive four-year scholarships to the university or post-secondary education program of their choice.
“That was lacking in our community,” Anthony said, according to Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports. “Who were the figures that we looked up to? Who were the male figures for the kids who didn't have male figures in their lives, such as myself? Trying to look and sort out and seek who's the right person to get that information from, because you're so closed in, and closed off, and on edge just from being in that environment and living in that environment. It's hard to trust people. So once you find that trust, it means a lot.”
The scholarship winners will also be provided with resources throughout their college studies, which includes one-on-one mentoring and internship sourcing.
“I just want kids to understand, and the youth to understand, that everything is shifting and you guys will be the pioneers and the leaders of what will happen going forward,” the Blazers star said. “So just to have that opportunity to do these Zoom schools and classes — it's a new form of learning, and we have to embrace it. If we embrace it, then our kids will embrace it.”
Of course, due to the coronavirus pandemic, kids have been forced to learn from home rather than in the classroom. Anthony is helping make things easier.
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