Drafted: Selected by the Boston Celtics in the first round (22th pick overall) of 2012 NBA Draft.
Background: Melo was in love with football (aka, soccer) from an early age, like many young boys in South America, but it began to be frustrating due to his rapidly changing coordination and growth. Melo’s soccer coach felt the game was not in the boy’s best interest, so he introduced him to a basketball coach.
At 6-foot-8 the ninth grade, Melo worked diligently with Coach Jose Ricardo to improve his skills. By the time he was 16, his game was impressive enough to earn him a spot on Brazil’s 17-under Basketball team. Thanks to his coach’s contacts, Melo decided, together with his family, to head over to America to gain more stable ground on his academics and basketball career. In Brazil neither coaching nor facilities is anything close to what America can offer, and the publicity was not available on a high level.
Due to international transfer rules set by the Florida High School Athletic Association, Melo was unable to play with for Sagemont High School. During the summer before his senior year he torched the AAU circuit and quickly became one of the nations most sought after prospects. The recruiting battle for Melo was fierce as heavyweights Louisville, UConn and Syracuse were pulling out all the stops to get the coveted big man. In the end Syracuse coach, Jim Boeheim, got the commitment primarily because of how comfortable Melo felt with him and the on-campus visit.
The top 20 blue chip player averaged 15 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, while leading his school to the state semifinals. Melo also earned a berth on the prestigious McDonald’s All-American team. He could be Syracuse’s most important recruit since Carmelo Anthony.
