When Harry met Melo. On Wednesday, New York Knicks’ CarmeloAnthony joined Prince Harry and NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutumbo at St. James Palace as a partnership between the RoyalFoundation and the NBA.
Together they celebrated the 33graduates of the Coach Core program which Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton launched three years ago. The charity encourages kids from disadvantaged areas to transform their communities through sports.
“When my brother, Catherine and I launched the Coach Coreprogram back in 2012, we had a vision of young people being inspired to becomeamazing sports coaches for their communities and beyond,” Harry said while speakingto the graduates and guests. “Young people, who would in turn, inspire others tochange their lives through sport.”
He continued, “Completing the Coach Core program has, Iknow, not been easy — but then trying to be the best you can be, isn’t easy.
Having met a number of you over the past year or so, I have some understandingof the challenges you faced; William and Catherine and I have all been hugelyimpressed by the resilience and determination you have shown in overcomingthese challenges.”
Carmelo also spoke to the graduates and presentedHarry with his very own Knicks jersey with Wales written on the back. (We can only hopethat he and William, who was given a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey from Lebron James, will wear them for a friendly game of basketball!) Harry couldn’t contain hisexcitement as Carmelo also gifted the royal with a pair of sneakers.
The jersey was also given in perfect timing for the New YorkKnicks basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks tomorrow in London, which ispart of the NBA Global Games.
