Carmelo Anthony’s son follows in his footsteps — but forges his own path!
Seventeen-year-old Kiyan, a top-40 men’s basketball player, has finally announced his college decision, committing to his dad’s alma mater, Syracuse University, over his other top contenders.
The only child of Carmelo, 40, and ex-wife La La Anthony shared his long-awaited decision on Papa Carmelo’s podcast, 7 pm in Brooklynon Friday 15.11.
After steadily dropping from a 10-college list since his sophomore year (which resulted in a top three of Syracuse, Auburn and USC), Kiyan decided to attend college in New York — which owes its only NCAA championship win in large part to his father — revealed is a teenager.
Kiyan Anthony is playing basketball in 2022. Cassy Athena/Getty
Reacting to Kiyan’s big news on the podcast, La La, 42, said she was “overwhelmed” but “happy because he’s happy”.
“I think it’s an amazing decision,” she explained. “They’re an amazing school and they’ve worked really hard recruiting and just making him feel like a priority. They were great, and I mean, they’re big shoes. But at the same time, this is his moment and his path and it’s time for him to create his own.”
La La Anthony Shares Advice She Gave Son Kiyan, 16, On Road To Fame: ‘I’m So Proud’ (Exclusive)
Plus, she added, she doesn’t mind that Kiyan will be only a five-hour drive — or a 45-minute flight — away from her.
Carmelo, meanwhile, expressed his excitement that Kiyan made the decision after much “tumbling.”
“I’m glad he decided to make this decision,” the former NBA star said, as La La chimed in, “And I think it’s important to say that Kiyan really made this decision.”
“Mel,” she added, “just gave him an opinion on all the schools” — and not pressured him to pick his alma mater.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/carmelo-anthony-kiyan-anthony-120623-fb41e5ea378b46bea52ecf4b4f99d364.jpg)
Kiyan Anthony (left) and Carmelo Anthony in 2023.
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Speaking to ESPN about his college decision, Kiyan said it “ultimately came down to my relationship with [Syracuse] staff.”
“From day one, when they started recruiting me, they made me feel like it was family,” he said of the store. “Having my dad’s name on the facility is special, but I want to go out there and make my own name, and I’ve already done that with my commitment in the offseason, with early morning practices, playing in camps, playing on the trails.”
La La Anthony on Son Kiyan’s Growing Popularity on Social Media: ‘He Has Almost a Million Followers!’ (Exclusive)
Kiyan also talked about the constant comparisons he received to dad Carmelo — one of the NBA’s all-time leading scorers — from the moment he first picked up a basketball.
“The struggle was real, especially in high school and my junior year of high school,” he told ESPN. “I didn’t know what I was doing then, but I started listening to my dad. I trusted his words, established a routine and started changing into my player.”
“The biggest difference between me and my dad is that he was a straight bucket, a straight bully,” added the teenager. “He could score at will. I have the ability to score and I can create for others.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education