When La La Anthony celebrated Carmelo Anthony as son Kiyan’s biggest “fan”: “I could never get in the way of that”

Carmelo Anthony's son, Kiyan Anthony, has grown up learning the tricks of the trade from his dad.

According to Kiyan's mother, La La, the 17-year-old grew up idolizing his father and loved sharing the court with him.

In the interview with VH1 in 2014, La La said neither she nor Carmelo had influenced their son's decision-making.

“When I see how happy Kiyan is, playing with his dad and being a part of the action, I know I could never get in the way of that.”

La La also stressed letting Kiyan explore the game on his terms.

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“Whether he’s the best player or the worst, he has to experience it. Him being happy is what’s important.”

Before that, La La also mentioned that Kiyan is Melo's No. 1 fan.

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"Melo is Kiyan's biggest hero. I mean nothing in that household. It's all about Melo."

Kiyan officially committed to playing collegiate basketball at Syracuse University for the upcoming season. The announcement was made during an episode of Carmelo’s 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast. He will be following his father in playing for Syracuse.

Carmelo Anthony led the Orange to an NCAA championship in 2003, and his No. 15 jersey is retired at the school. Syracuse has produced NBA stars like Dave Bing, Derrick Coleman, and Rony Seikaly and celebrates Carmelo as one of its greatest alumni. Carmelo’s basketball career has earned him recognition as one of the NBA’s Top 75 players. He is widely expected to enter the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2026.

Kiyan, meanwhile, is currently playing for Long Island Lutheran High School. Ranked as the top high school player in New York, the 6'5" guard also holds a national ranking of No. 34 and is considered the sixth-best shooting guard by 247Sports.com.

Kiyan's jersey choice reflects respect for Carmelo Anthony

As Kiyan prepares to join Syracuse, one decision he made was to avoid taking his father’s iconic No. 15 jersey, which the school has retired.

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“15 is retired. I’m not gonna take that away from my dad,” Kiyan stated during the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast.

“I got two, either three or seven,” Kiyan said. “I wear three right now in high school, so I like three; that’s my favorite number. And then seven—my birthday is on March 7th. He [Melo] was 7.”

Carmelo himself endorsed the idea of Kiyan choosing No. 7, the number he wore during his time with the LA Lakers. Beyond the familial connection, the number also represents Kiyan’s birthdate — March 7, 2007.

Carmelo expressed that Kiyan would create his own identity, separate from the legacy of No. 15. Kiyan’s arrival at Syracuse adds to a promising 2025 recruiting class that includes highly rated prospects Sadiq White, Luke Fennell, and Aaron Womack.

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