"Are you serious? I'm leaving" - La La Anthony stunned as Kiyan Anthony picks Paul George as GOAT over father Carmelo Anthony
La La Anthony and Carmelo Anthony were married for 11 years before they separated in 2021. They have a son, Kiyan Anthony, who is carving his way to the NBA. Despite Melo leaving an unforgettable mark in the NBA, Kiyan doesn’t think his father ranks above Paul George.
In an episode of Complex Sports, La La Anthony sat down for a fun Q&A with her son. Though the mother-son duo disagreed on many things, including the choice of music and TV shows, one of the answers that pricked La La was Kiyan’s GOAT choice.
The TV actress chose her son as the basketball GOAT. La La was shocked when Kiyan named Paul George his GOAT. Astonished by her son’s answer, the former MTV VJ threw the cards over her son’s face for not choosing his father first. He named Kobe Bryant and Melo as the next two.
“Are you serious? I am leaving. When are you gonna say your dad’s name?”
“The fact that you didn’t say your dad first is crazy to me,” La La Anthony added.
This is not even the first time that Kiyan has named Paul George as his basketball GOAT. In July last year, Kiyan said George was the “best player ever.” He added Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony to the list.
La La Anthony doesn’t want her son to fill his father’s shoes
Being the son of an NBA legend, Kiyan Anthony is under constant media scanners. Carmelo Anthony was the third pick in the 2003 NBA draft and became one of the most gifted offensive players in the league's history.
Kiyan’s comparison to his father is inevitable, but his mother, La La, wants her son to have his own journey.
In a conversation with Jemele Hill last year, La La Anthony spoke about parenting and helping her son handle the pressure from the media.
"That's all about communication and talking to your kid like this is your journey," La La Anthony said. "Your journey does not have to mimic your dad's journey.
"Kiyan has a completely different game than Melo. There are things that are the same, but very different. You're not here to be exactly like your dad. You're here to blaze your own path."
Kiyan is one of the names in the 2025 NBA draft prospect. He has yet to sign with a school to start his college basketball career. There have been reports that he might sign with Syracuse, where his father won a national championship in 2003.