New York -- Jalen Carey grew up 10 minutes from Madison Square Garden. The 2 train, or maybe the 6, delivered him directly from 114th Street to the bright lights and big stage of big-time basketball.
When he was a kid, his dad took him to Knicks games when Carmelo Anthony starred here. Last year, Carey sat in the arena and watched Syracuse play Connecticut, understanding that a year later, he would get a chance to make more personal, more indelible memories in a place famous for anointing stars.
Carey is a Harlem kid, a product of New York City.