Last week, former Syracuse University basketball standout Eric Devendorf said that the program needs to get alum Carmelo Anthony more involved. If you look around the country, prominent programs are leaning into their powerful alumni bases. For instance, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is the general manager at Duke.

Given that Carmelo's son, Kiyan, is in the program right now, giving 'Melo power and authority could be a huge conflict of interest. We wrote as much here.

But after another loss to North Carolina over the weekend dropped the Orange to 15-13 and 6-9 inside Atlantic Coast Conference play, it's time to admit that Devendorf is right.

This program needs Carmelo Anthony, and there's a very simple reason: There's no other real selling point. And that's a sad reality, but it's true.

For starters, I want to give credit to the "Orange Zone" podcast, which correctly pointed out that Syracuse currently has zero high school recruits signed for next season. And the duo of Sam Croston and Ashley Wenskoski asked the question "what would the selling point even be to recruits?"

The answer is none, which is, again, why the program needs 'Melo. 

If you don't believe me, let's run down the list:

Yes, the program has great history and won the national championship in 2003, but college sports is littered with the once great programs that have fallen into full or partial irrelevance.

Florida football has great history. And that history is a decade more recent than Syracuse's. It doesn't matter. It's a "what have you done for me lately?" kind of world. As Wenskoski says in the video above, high school recruits weren't even alive in 2003. In fact, most of the college players playing today weren't alive. 

Miami football fell out of relevance for a long time. Indiana basketball has too. 

Syracuse is on the verge of missing the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year. That's what matters. The only history that matters is current history and that's not a selling point for the Orange.

Head coach Adrian Autry might get fired in a few weeks. Who wants to sign up for a program where the coach who recruited you might not be there in a few months, nevertheless in four years?

The chancellor is leaving and so is the athletic director. If you're a recruit, or a parent, why would you want to come to a place with literally no stability right now? Will the new chancellor value athletics? Will the new athletic director be able to handle the NIL world? We don't know.

In today's college hoops climate, kids don't stay at rebuild programs, they just move on in the transfer portal. That doesn't mean every SU player will leave for 2026-27, but if you're a recruit expecting to play with the current group of talent? Think again. Some of them won't be here next year.

The one thing that SU has going for it is Anthony, who has the experience to help guide current players, and the rolodex to help get people to the next level. His connections and access are things that not many programs can replicate. It's time for SU to lean in, and it's time for 'Melo to give back, even more than he already has.

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