He hasn't declared for the NBA draft yet, but Syracuse freshman forward Carmelo Anthony's performance in the NCAA Tournament has sports marketers dreaming up possible opportunities.

	Carmelo Anthony had a stellar freshman season to look back on, but lucrative NBA and off-the-court deals await his decision to turn pro.

A deal to peddle Caramello, the candy bar? A "Melomar" cookie? Or perhaps a Car"mel(l)o yello" soft drink?

For those that are focused on tapping the NBA demographic by riding on the heels of a top draft pick, Anthony would provide another option to what is sure to be a very expensive endorser in projected No. 1 overall pick LeBron James.

"There's always enough money for superstars," said Scott Becher, president of Sports & Sponsorships, a sports marketing firm. "I would now consider Carmelo to be a very close second to LeBron off the court and, for some, Carmelo might even be a more sure, safer bet."

James is the consensus No. 1 who has Nike and adidas bidding for his shoe deal, which could be worth between $5 million and $10 million per year. Given his exposure in the tournament, some say Anthony might now trump 7-foot Yugoslavian power forward Darko Milicic, depending on what team picks second.

The 18-year-old James averaged 30 points and 9.5 rebounds while leading St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to its third Ohio state title in four years. Anthony, who is also 18, averaged 22 points and 9.8 rebounds while leading the Orangemen to their first NCAA men's basketball championship.

"Carmelo is now in the upper eschelon with players like Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson, who for the most part carried their schools on their backs to win an NCAA championship," said Bill Duffy, an agent who represents Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and Dallas Mavericks guard Steve Nash. "Not only is he a great player, but he has a sense of humility that disarms all and he's definitely got that Magic Johnson-like smile down."

While both players likely will do well in securing endorsements in their local markets, Becher said the key to getting national deals could depend on which player turns their team into a winner. "Being the best player on an awful team doesn't really get you that far," Becher said.

How much money Anthony commands for a shoe deal might depend on the free-agent shoe market. Aside from James, Yao's deal with Nike is up at the end of the season and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who severed ties with Adidas last year, has yet to announce a new deal, though Nike appears to be the frontrunner now that Reebok has dropped out of the race.

"I still think LeBron is the guy companies are after, but Carmelo has definitely proven himself as a great second option," said Bob Dorfman, executive creative director with Pickett Advertising in San Francisco. "If he proves to be better than LeBron some company could have a great value." Anthony's value is skyrocketing on eBay. Bids for a signed jersey and basketball surpassed $300 and $200, respectively, on Tuesday.

Companies that are eager to sign James to lucrative deals before May 22, when the lottery order is determined, might want to be careful.

"Some company is going to get burned because of a bad market," Duffy said. "If a player winds up in Cleveland, it's not going to be the best place for a product to get that much needed visibility."

In the name game, Anthony might have the edge over James.

"Having a catchy first name is an important part of marketability," said Craig Tartasky, president of marketing firm Vertical Sports & Entertainment. "Carmelo belongs in the category with Shaq, Tiger and Yao because it just rolls off the tongue. LeBron's not as good, although it's certainly better than Jay or Nick."

Another intangible could be stage presence.

"To get some of the big deals, you have to be photogenic and comfortable in front of the camera," Dorfman said. "Both guys seem to be pretty smooth, given their age, but they'll have to deliver lines. Not everyone can get away with just facial expressions like Michael (Jordan) and Yao (Ming) have."

Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at Darren.rovell@espn3.com.