When he isn’t carrying the slightly-improved-but-not-quite-Playoff-ready Knicks, Carmelo Anthony has been exploring street sport cultures around the world as part of his new series with VICE Sports, Stay Melo. The latest episode is a little closer to home for Melo as he pays a visit to New York’s infamous Rikers Island.

Amid reports of systematic abuse within the prison, the Knicks All-Star meets and talks with a number of 18 to 21-year-old inmates to get a first-hand perspective of life at Rikers and — if nothing else — to give the young guys some much needed hope for the future.

Watch below…

Catch up on the previous episodes of Stay Melo as an added bonus:

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