Carmelo Kyam Anthony (born May 29, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Anthony attended Towson Catholic High School and Oak Hill Academy before playing college basketball at Syracuse. In Anthony's freshman season, he led the Orangemen to their first and only National Championship and was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Anthony then entered the 2003 NBA draft where he was selected with the third overall pick by the Denver Nuggets.
Rookie season
Anthony's NBA career began on June 26, 2003, when he was chosen 3rd overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. He was selected behind LeBron James (1st overall, Cleveland Cavaliers) and Darko Milicic (2nd overall, Detroit Pistons). He made his NBA regular season debut on October 29, 2003, in an 80-72 home win against the San Antonio Spurs. Anthony finished the night with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. In just his sixth career NBA game (November 7 versus the Los Angeles Clippers), Anthony scored 30 points, becoming the second youngest player in NBA history to score 30 points or more in a game (19 years, 151 days; Kobe Bryant was the youngest). It was the fewest number of games a Nuggets rookie took to score 30 points in a contest since the ABA-NBA merger. On February 9, 2004, against the Memphis Grizzlies, Anthony became the third-youngest player to reach the 1,000-point plateau in NBA history with a 20-point effort in an 86-83 win.  On February 13, 2004, Anthony participated in the Got Milk? Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend. On March 30, 2004, he scored 41 points against the Seattle SuperSonics to set a new Denver Nuggets franchise record for most points in a game by a rookie. He also became the second-youngest player (19 years, 305 days) to score at least 40 points in a game in NBA history. After winning the Rookie of the Month award for the Western Conference in the month of April, Anthony became the fourth player in NBA history to capture all six of the Rookie of the Month awards in a season. The others to do so were David Robinson, Tim Duncan and fellow rookie LeBron James. Anthony was also named NBA Player of the Week twice (March 10, 2004 - March 14, 2004 and April 6, 2004 - April 10, 2004) and was a unanimous NBA All-Rookie First Team selection. Anthony averaged 21.0 ppg during the season, which was more than any other rookie. Anthony was second in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting, finishing runner-up to the Cavaliers rookie standout, James.  Anthony was a major part in the turnaround of the Denver Nuggets from league laughingstock to playoff contender. In the season before Anthony was drafted by the team, the Nuggets finished with a 17-65 record, which tied them for worst in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They finished the 2003-04 campaign with a 43-39 overall record, qualifying them as the eighth seed for the post-season. Anthony became the first NBA rookie to lead a playoff team in scoring since David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs during the 1989-90 season. In the 2004 NBA Playoffs, the Nuggets faced the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. In Anthony's first career playoff game, he had 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, in a 106-92 loss at Minnesota. The Timberwolves eliminated the Nuggets in five games.

Q: What team did he play for his rookie season?
A: Anthony's NBA career began on June 26, 2003, when he was chosen 3rd overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets.

Q: What stats did he have that year?
A: October 29, 2003, in an 80-72 home win against the San Antonio Spurs. Anthony finished the night with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists.

Q: What are some of his career highlights?
A: On February 9, 2004, against the Memphis Grizzlies, Anthony became the third-youngest player to reach the 1,000-point plateau in NBA history with a 20-point effort in an 86-83 win.

Q: Did he have other highlights like this?
A: On March 30, 2004, he scored 41 points against the Seattle SuperSonics to set a new Denver Nuggets franchise record for most points in a game by a rookie.

Q: What else did he do as a rookie?
A: He also became the second-youngest player (19 years, 305 days) to score at least 40 points in a game in NBA history.

Q: What were other achievements?
A: Anthony became the fourth player in NBA history to capture all six of the Rookie of the Month awards in a season.

Q: Has any other players been as successful as him?
A: The others to do so were David Robinson, Tim Duncan and fellow rookie LeBron James.
What was their record that year?
NBA Player of the Week twice (March 10, 2004 - March 14, 2004 and April 6, 2004 - April 10, 2004) and was a unanimous NBA All-Rookie
NBA Player of the Week twice (March 10, 2004 - March 14, 2004 and April 6, 2004 - April 10, 2004) and was a unanimous NBA All-Rookie