Hungry Jack's NBL
Carmelo Anthony joins NBL as Next Stars Ambassador and future team owner
Written By
NBL.com.au Writers
The NBL is thrilled to announce NBA legend, Carmelo Anthony, as Global Ambassador of its innovative Next Stars program.
This appointment also includes Anthony joining the ownership group of a future NBL expansion team - adding ‘team owner’ to his list of career achievements, on and off the court. The NBL recently appointed sports commentator and two-time NBA champion Kenny Smith as its Head of Next Stars Player Initiatives in North America.
Next Stars began in the 2018-19 season and has quickly become a premier and proven destination for draft-eligible talent from around the world to fast-track their on-court development in order to reach the NBA. Since its inception, eight Next Stars have been drafted to the NBA, with notable first round picks such as LaMelo Ball, RJ Hampton, Josh Giddey, and Ousmane Dieng.
The 2023-24 Next Stars class was the largest in NBL history, with eight players in the program from Australia, Lithuania, Germany, Sweden, France and the United States. Six of the eight Next Stars are currently preparing for the upcoming NBA Draft, with French phenom Alexandre Sarr of the Perth Wildcats projected to be a Top 3 selection.
"In joining the NBL, I’m excited for the opportunity to not just elevate basketball in Australia, but to impact the global landscape of the sport,” Anthony said.
“The recent pipeline of talent that has come out of the NBL and into the NBA has been extremely impressive, and the Next Stars program is a prime example of the league's commitment to nurturing talent and cultivating elite players. I look forward to working with the League to help play a role in shaping the future of basketball worldwide."
Anthony will work to attract and mentor top-tier players worldwide and elevate the Next Stars program to new heights. A sports icon and entrepreneur, Anthony brings unparalleled experience and expertise to the NBL, and is poised to take the league into bold new territories.
Anthony is one of the greatest players and scorers in NBA history, playing for the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers across his 19-season career from 2003-2022.
He was the 3rd overall pick in the 2003 draft and after a stellar college career at Syracuse, which included a National Championship in 2003, Anthony enjoyed immense success in the NBA. The multi-dimensional scorer’s list of accolades includes 10 NBA All-Star appearances, the NBA scoring leader in 2013, two All-NBA Second Teams and four All-NBA Third Teams. Anthony was also named in the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, dedicated to the 75 greatest players in the league’s history.
“Our track record speaks for itself and the Next Stars program is where more and more future NBA stars are developed,” NBL Director and Board Member, Nikola Milivojevic said.
“As a master of his craft and legend of the game, Carmelo is the ideal mentor for our Next Stars, and the perfect partner for the NBL as we chart a path forward that involves launching more new NBA stars, gaining new audiences, exploring new markets and making an indelible mark globally for future generations. Now with Carmelo on board, along with Kenny Smith, we will take it to a whole new level.”
In closing, Larry Kestelman, Owner and Executive Chairman of the NBL, said: "This is a huge statement of confidence in what this League is all about and especially over the last 10 years what’s been achieved by myself and our team since taking ownership of the League.
“I’m so proud that we have a global superstar like Carmelo Anthony joining the program. His job is to help us promote the Next Stars program, help us attract the right talent, but also with the vision of him being a part owner of a future expansion team. The credibility that brings and the global exposure that brings to the League cannot be understated.
“The NBL is already regarded as the second best domestic league in the world and for us to be more global and more relevant, and presented in the right light to the world, I think Carmelo will absolutely no doubt do an amazing job at that.
“This League is growing from strength to strength and this new announcement signals the arrival of the NBL, not just in the local market, but our ambitions to be a more global league and without a doubt, the best pathway to the NBA.”
