“It was crazy” — Carmelo Anthony’s son Kiyan Anthony recalls matchup against Lebron James and his sons
Carmelo Anthony’s son Kiyan Anthony has been friends with Bronny and Bryce James since childhood. Their legendary fathers, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James, played together in the NBA and have maintained a close bond off the court as well.
Kiyan reflected on his experience of facing off against the LA Lakers star's sons during an appearance on the "SloaneKnows: NEXT" show. The four-star guard was asked about his most memorable basketball moment.
"I'll say my sophomore year when we went to go play against LeBron and LeBron's sons in LA, and that game was sold out, and it was crazy, so I feel like that's it so far," he replied. [Time Stamp - 08:44]
In November 2022, Carmelo and LeBron were present to watch their sons play in the same game. Bronny James was playing for Sierra Canyon, who faced Kiyan Anthony and Christ the King.
Bronny, a then-senior point guard, got 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in the game. Meanwhile, Kiyan, a sophomore shooting guard, scored eight points, including two 3-pointers from the wing.
The Lakers picked Bronny James in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft. Speaking on the "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast. Kiyan shared his thoughts of one day playing against him in the league.
"We could play against each other like we played in high school," Kiyan said. "I was only a freshman and he was a senior but now that we could get to the league and play against each other that, it's crazy to just think about."
Kiyan Anthony and Bryce James faced off at Nike EYBL
NBA legends Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James had their sons paired up on the court since they were young. As a result, Kiyan has built a close bond with Bronny and Bryce.
However, the No. 1 player in New York has also faced them on the court. Kiyan, who plays for Team Melo in the AAU circuit, faced off against Bryce's team, Strive for Greatness (SFG), at the Nike EBYL Indiana in May.
The game drew a large crowd of spectators, also because Carmelo and LeBron were at the venue to support their sons. SFG secured a 71-65 win. However, Kiyan felt upset because most people came expecting to see him play against Bryce, but there were also other top players in the game.
Additionally, Kiyan and Bryce joined forces last year at the Las Vegas Big Time Tournament, where they played for the Strive For Greatness 16U team.