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"I probably drive him crazy": Kiyan Anthony's mom La La Anthony, shows unconditional support for son

Modified Apr 19, 2025 18:06 GMT

La La Anthony continues to be her son Kiyan Anthony’s loudest cheerleader — and she’s not holding back. In a heartwarming Instagram story on Saturday, La La proudly celebrated Kiyan’s participation in the prestigious Jordan Brand Classic, a major milestone for a young basketball talent. The clip showed her courtside, beaming with joy and filming Kiyan.

“I love this kid so much!!!! I probably drive him crazy 😂🥰,” La La wrote.

Kiyan, the son of La La and NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, is quickly emerging as a star, and his mom’s unwavering support hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Jordan Brand Classic featured some of the nation’s top high school talent, and Kiyan’s inclusion speaks volumes about his rising stature in the basketball world.

Kiyan's senior season has been nothing short of electric. After leading Long Island Lutheran to the EYBL Scholastic title game and clinching MVP honors at The Throne, the spotlight followed him to the 2025 Jordan Brand Classic — and he delivered.

Kian recorded 26 points, converting 11 of 15 shots, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. He added five rebounds, spearheading Team Air’s 141-124 win over Team Flight.

His performance didn’t go unnoticed as he walked away with the game’s MVP trophy, fittingly handed to him by his father, Carmelo Anthony, a future Hall of Famer who starred in the inaugural edition of the event in 2002.

The game marked a symbolic return to Washington, D.C., where the Jordan Brand Classic began 23 years ago as the Jordan Brand Capital Classic. Carmelo scored 27 points in 2002, and now his son carries the torch.

Kiyan joined a powerhouse Team Air roster, playing alongside standouts like Cayden and Cameron Boozer, Nate Ament, Darrun Peterson, Brayden Burries and Tounde Yessoufou. Team Flight also featured top-tier talent, including AJ Dybantsa, Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas and Chris Cenac Jr.

Kiyan Anthony faces spotlight, snub and financial reality at 17

Despite putting up nearly 20 points per game this season, Kiyan Anthony was left off the McDonald’s All-American roster — an omission that sparked debate. Having missed over half the season due to a back injury, Kiyan’s absence was understandable, but his father, Carmelo Anthony, suspected other reasons for the snub.

Off the court, the Syracuse commit is navigating a different kind of game. At just 17, Kiyan inked a $1.1 million NIL agreement with Syracuse — the university Carmelo led to a national title in 2003. However, with that payday comes a new set of challenges.

“I got to talk to you about taxes at 17 years old,” Carmelo said in February, via Yahoo Sports. “I got to talk about how you budget at 17 years old. At 17 years old, I was running around — we ain’t know nothing about no budget.”

The NBA legend didn't sugarcoat reality.

“You in my tax bracket now," Carmelo said. "You part of the 1%. So now I can’t hide that information from you. You’re getting 60% of your money taken. Don’t ask me where it’s at. I ain’t got it.”

Kiyan, committed to Syracuse, is a top 40 recruit in the 2026 class.

About the author

Aman is a journalist who has been covering college sports at Sportskeeda since 2023. Graduating with a specialization in Transportation Technology, he believes his educational background, although seemingly unrelated, helped him develop the research, analysis and critical thinking skills important for his current role.

Aman is adept at contextualizing current events within historical narratives. He is also good at technical deep dives and presenting comprehensive report strategies, coaching tactics, and player performances with precision. Through meticulous research, multiple sourcing, timeliness, transparency, and adherence to ethical standards, Aman works to ensure accuracy and relevance in articles.

Caitlin Clark's recent achievement of becoming the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer is his current favorite college sports moment. He also admires Clark and Angel Ree¬se, Caleb Williams, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. Iowa Hawkeyes basketball, LSU, Alabama Football, Michigan Football are his all-time favorite college teams.

Aman finds relaxation and inspiration in activities like reading, hiking, playing badminton & table tennis.

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