Carmelo Anthony received the Hispanic Heritage in Sports Award.
Washington DC – TThe Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) today announced that NBA legend, entrepreneur and philanthropist Carmelo Anthony will receive the 2024 Hispanic Heritage Award in Sports at the 37th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards (HHA) Ceremony to be held on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at the John F. Kennedy Center Opera House.
The HHA, with the support of 40 Hispanic-serving organizations nationwide, was created by the White House in 1988 and aired on PBS to celebrate the creation of Hispanic Heritage Month in America. The awards are commonly known as “Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in America.” A playlist of last year’s awards can be found here. Also see past HHF recipients.
“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is thrilled to honor Carmelo Anthony, an all-star both on the court and in the community,” said Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. “We look forward to paying tribute to Carmelo and all of the honorees for their incredible achievements, cultural pride and fulfillment of great promise to our country and the world.”
“I am honored to receive this award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Their mission of highlighting the importance of celebrating and uplifting the Latino community is one that resonates very close to me,” said Carmelo Anthony. “My connection to my roots and community has always been central to my life and career, and I am honored to be recognized alongside other recipients who share the same commitment to positively impact and support efforts that celebrate our culture.”
Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Carmelo Anthony (popularly known as “Melo”) began his basketball journey at an early age. His talent and dedication quickly made him the highest-ranked high school basketball player in the country. During his freshman year at Syracuse University, Anthony led his team to its first national championship and earned the title of tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Drafted third overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2003, Anthony quickly emerged as a standout player, leading the team to the playoffs every year from 2004 to 2010. His journey continued with the New York Knicks in 2011, before continuing with stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers.
A three-time Olympic gold medalist and one of the top 10 scorers in NBA history, Anthony’s accomplishments extend beyond the NBA through a number of strategic business ventures and philanthropic endeavors.
Throughout his career, Anthony has emerged as a leading figure in the movement for athletes to extend their reach beyond the court and into the boardroom, as one of the first to successfully bridge the gap between sports and entrepreneurship. Anthony’s business portfolio includes Isos7 Sports Investments, a platform dedicated to funding the growth of a diverse portfolio of sports-related businesses and donating a portion of profits to underserved communities. Anthony and longtime business partner Asani Swan launched VII(N) – The Seventh Estate, a global estate brand committed to diversifying the industry and bringing new voices to the world of wine. Driven by the same passion for inclusive and purpose-driven content, Anthony co-founded Creative 7 with Swan, which has grown into a global, multi-platform company producing a variety of projects across TV, film, audio and digital media. Anthony has also recently branched out into the cannabis industry, founding Grand National, a unique agency created to support cannabis-related businesses that share his passion for culture, cultivation and community. The agency’s first brand is STAYME7O Cannabis, which embodies Grand National’s mission to leverage the organization’s expertise and support ventures that align with its values, such as increasing diversity and representation in the cannabis industry.
Anthony’s commitment to social justice and equality is a common thread in all of his endeavors, including his role as co-founder of the Social Change Fund, which supports important issues affecting the Black community. In 2021, Carmelo became the inaugural recipient of the NBA’s prestigious Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award.
Anthony’s achievements continue to impact the sports world and inspire the next generation of basketball players. His journey has been marked by determination, excellence and a deep love for the game of basketball, making him a powerful example for aspiring athletes around the world.
