Syracuse basketball fans around Central New York should excited as some familiar faces currently in the NBA will be coming back home for a preseason game at the Carrier Dome. The Philadelphia 76ers announced on their team website that they would be heading to Syracuse to take on the New York Knicks on October 14th.
It is not only exciting that two NBA teams will be coming to play in the Dome but there will also be some former Syracuse stars playing in the game. Superstar Carmelo Anthony and reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams, who both led the Orange to the Final Four once during their career, will be two of the most talented players on the court for either team. There is also a chance that we will see 76ers' rookie Jerami Grant, who just led the Orange in rebounding this past season.
This is a very significant moment for the Orange, as it shows its former players are willing to return to their alma mater to support the school and provide some excitement for the program's fans. This will be the third exhibition game Anthony has played in at the Dome since going to the NBA. It is also well-documented what he has done for the school, not only on the court, but also off of it, most notably the relatively-new Carmelo K. Anthony Center that he donated money towards.
Now, a younger generation is returning as well in Carter-Williams and Grant, and the upside that MCW showed last year hints that another NBA superstar from Syracuse could be born. Having star players come back to play shows a lot about the program and what it does for these players, on top of the appreciation they have for it.
Including the other two games Anthony played at the Dome with the Denver Nuggets, this will be the third NBA game played at the Dome over the span of his 11-year career. Hopefully he set a precedent for star players to return and give back to Syracuse basketball. With Carter-Williams now joining him, maybe this is something Syracuse fans can get used to for many years to come.