Carmelo Anthony gets candid on prospects of son Kiyan Anthony surpassing him
Carmelo Anthony seems invested in building his son Kiyan Anthony's basketball career after retiring. Carmelo hopes Kiyan can surpass him as the better player. The former Knicks star got candid on the prospects of that happening during an interview with All The Smoke production's Rachel Nichols on Thursday.
"I hope so," Carmelo said about Kiyan bettering him. "I mean, better is relative, right? Better—you have to go through a lot to be better in the sense of longevity, career, what you have to go through on a day-to-day basis. The prep—it takes a lot to go into being great."
Kiyan, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, is in his junior season at Long Island Lutheran High School. He is the No. 1 recruit in New York State for the 2025 class. Melo has worked closely with his son, especially this past year. He reflected on the 'head start' Kiyan has with him around.
"It seems like he has a head start, so it's beautiful to see that he has that head start, and I can just meet him where he's at and give him the steps that he needs," Carmelo said.
Carmelo Anthony had a different path to the NBA than Kiyan. He didn't have the support and guidance he could provide for his son. Melo was a raw talent who figured things out on the go. But he still became one of the top prospects.
He probably could've been better had he received the mentorship like his son. Kiyan Anthony has that, improving his chances of becoming a better player than his dad.
However, Kiyan, 17, has plenty to look forward to and work on as he continues his young basketball career. Maximizing what his father, Carmelo Anthony, can give him could take him a long way.
Carmelo Anthony glad to see Kiyan Anthony establishing his own personality
While having parents who can give you the blueprint to becoming a successful NBA/WNBA player has its perks, it can be pressure-inducing, too. Kiyan Anthony is among those rising prospects who have to deal with both sides of it under a microscope because of how great his father, Carmelo Anthony, is.
Carmelo is impressed that Kiyan is carving out his personality and building a fanbase that is not directly associated with him. The former NBA superstar reflected on Kiyan's mentality, saying:
"I just love the fact that he's actually able to have his own personality, kind of build his own fan base and people who are going to watch and follow him."
Carmelo Anthony cited that Kiyan Anthony is learning from the best around him. He knows other NBA legends like LeBron James and Kevin Durant up close and personal because of his father, and that has helped Kiyan understand the tricks of the trade at a young age.