Syracuse, N.Y. — One fan brought a vintage Sports Illustrated celebrating Syracuse basketball’s only NCAA Tournament championship. Another brought newspapers stored safely since the 2003 Final Four.
A third didn’t seek a signature but brought Carmelo Anthony a gift, a pair of his paintings.
Cameron Alexzander offered Anthony his choice. The former Syracuse star picked his favorite. Alexzander planned to take home the other (his favorite).
The 36-year-old artist, who moved to Syracuse from St. Louis about a year ago, returned minutes later anyway. He gave the second painting to one of Anthony’s handlers to save for the basketball star in a back room.
The recent Basketball Hall of Fame honoree came to Syracuse on Monday to promote his new cannabis brand, STAYME70 (pronounced Stay Melo).
He pitched the product at FlynnStoned Cannabis Company in Armory Square taking selfies (with a $100 purchase) and signing autographs (two items for a $200 purchase).
He arrived fashionably late (45 minutes) for his 1 p.m. appearance and stayed almost as long past his scheduled 3 p.m. departure.
He declined to talk to reporters, saying he had another appearance to make.
He did make time for more each of about 100 fans who filtered through the dispensary during his visit, gravitating to the charismatic figure that brought the city its only NCAA Tournament championship in men’s basketball.
He signed Carmelo Anthony jerseys in orange, white and grey. He signed a Nuggets jersey in a frame and two jerseys from Oak Hill Academy.
Store employees handed out a T-shirt with his brand on it to everybody who visited the store’s upper level.
Former Syracuse University basketball player Carmelo Anthony spent a couple hours signing autographs for fans on Monday. He made an appearance at Flynnstoned to promote his brand of cannabis, StayMelo. (Charlie Miller | [email protected])(Charlie Miller | [email protected])
Kim Clendenin, of Baldwinsville, came to FlynnStoned with her daughter.
Clendenin was 25 when Syracuse won its national title in men’s basketball. Her daughter was 3.
They watched the national championship together, with daughter cheering whenever her mom did.
In anticipation of Anthony’s visit, they pulled out newspapers from that season that had been sitting in a file cabinet since 2003.
“Waiting for a day like today,” Clendenin said, before Anthony scrawled his name across it.
Sue O’Brien, a 75-year-old from Syracuse stood near the front of the line, somewhat out of place in pink rather than Orange.
She was a season-ticket holder in 2003. But today she was there for her 22-year-old grandson, who she’d promised to get a pair of signed T-shirts.
He provided her cash and a warning.
“You’re probably going to be the oldest person there,” he warned her.
“He was right,” she acknowledged.
O’Brien wasn’t sure exactly what cannabis product she bought. She expected she’d give it away. That wouldn’t be a problem.
But she held tight to the keepsake.
Cameron Alexzander brought Carmelo Anthony a painting. Melo had his choice. The former Syracuse University basketball player made an appearance at Flynnstoned to promote his brand of cannabis, StayMelo. (Charlie Miller | [email protected])(Charlie Miller | [email protected])
Anthony is one of Alexzander’s two favorite basketball players, along with Allen Iverson. He is loyal enough that he argues with friends that he’d take Anthony over LeBron James
Alexzander was able to get his art into the hands of Iverson at a dispensary in St. Louis.
He read about Anthony’s visit to FlynnStoned on Monday. He ducked out of work early and checked the second name on his list of basketball heroes.
“It’s pretty much a dream come true,” he said.
Contact Chris Carlson anytime: Email ’ Twitter ’ 315-382-7932
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