“Let’s go”: Carmelo Anthony’s ex-wife LaLa Anthony hypes up son Kiyan for a free pair of shoes

By Aman Sharma

Modified Jul 12, 2024 14:02 GMT

La La Anthony, actress and television personality, took to Instagram to celebrate her son Kiyan Anthony's basketball skills. Kiyan, the son of La La and her ex-husband, former NBA star Carmelo Anthony, showcased his talent for a pair of shoes.

He sank ten consecutive 3-pointers, earning himself a new pair of shoes in a video originally posted on TikTok. La La enthusiastically reshared the video on her Instagram story, captioning it with a supportive:

"Let's go."

La La shares a deep bond with her only child. Despite his father's illustrious basketball career, La La encourages Kiyan to forge his own path. Speaking on the podcast "Jemele Hill is Unbothered," with her son last year, she emphasized the importance of individuality:

"Your journey does not have to mimic your dad's journey. If at any point through the journey you're like, 'Hey, this isn't for me,' it's fine. We are going to support you in whatever it is that you want to do."

The younger Anthony's basketball style is distinct from his father's. La La continually boosts his confidence, telling him:

"You're not here to be exactly like your dad. You're here to blaze your own path. Do it your way."

In addition to supporting his athletic pursuits, La La offers her son advice on handling fame. She tells him:

"Don't listen to negative comments. Just do what makes you happy. Quiet the outside noise."

Born with the name Alani Nicole Vázquez in Brooklyn, New York in 1982, La La Anthony has had a varied career in acting, producing, writing and entrepreneurship.

Her entry into entertainment began at 15 with an internship at Atlanta's Hot 97 radio station and later on got her a chance to be a VJ for MTV's "TRL" program and "Direct Effect."

Kiyan Anthony shines on the court, charting his path

Kiyan Anthony, the son of 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony, is taking his place in the basketball arena. Being 6-foot-5, the high school player from Long Island Lutheran (NY) has been remarkable, scoring 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists on average in every game for Team Melo on the EYBL Circuit.

Anthony, a four-star shooting guard in the 2025 class, is preparing for several college visits. In early June, he shared with On3 his plans to visit Auburn, Ohio State and Indiana in September.

On3’s Jamie Shaw praised Anthony's scoring ability:

“Scoring is the thing with Kiyan Anthony. He is wired to score the ball. His game has consistently improved year over year, and he possesses deep range and a variety of off-balance and step-back moves to create clean looks. He is already putting up significant numbers and still has room to grow as a player.”

Kiyan Anthony, the 27th ranked national player in the 2025 class by On3, has visited Syracuse, his dad's alma mater, and the University of Florida, where he has been invited, along with full rides from Providence, Seton Hall, Tennessee, Illinois, Pittsburgh, Dayton, Maryland, Michigan, UCF, Arizona State and West Virginia.