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Kiyan Anthony has had eyeballs on him for years, being a top NBA view throughout high school. But this number has always been multiplied by who his father is.
His father is soon Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, a 10-time all-star and is considered widely one of the best clean scorers in the basketball history.
Kiyan, like his father, will play college basketball in Syracuse with his own words for two years “Max.” And now that his father’s play days are over, Carmelo is “More hands on the deck.”
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Carmelo Anthony and his son, Kiyan, watch Don Bosco Prep Ironmen are competing against the Mceachern Indians in a game during the 50th annual City of Palms Classic at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. (Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News)
“I wouldn’t say we’re closer (than when he played). I just wanted to say he’s more like more hands on the deck, more foot on the ground. So just him was there at my games that he was there, I could go to his house and just spend a day with him, I felt like some things we missed while traveling while he was in the league,” “So I could spend more time with him off the field and he invests all his time in me on the field, whether it works, and the one who comes to my games, I feel like this is what bought us closer to our bonding, our connection was always there, but it just got stronger and it was a bit.”
Some father-son-bonding came into collaboration with Meta, where the duo filmed an episode of “close friends only” to celebrate Father’s Day, talking about their relationship, basketball and regular father-to-son speech points.
“Being able to collaborate with Meta and Instagram and show our other side from the field, just show our personality and the bond that me and my dad have, I feel like it was a great marketing opportunity to do it. And it was really fun to work with them. And I feel like we did, why we did,” Kiyan said.
“People see him all the time on my games on the sidelines, but never really see our real connection from the field. So I want to do these collaborations and these interviews and these podcasts, it gives us a second chance to really show fans as the type of bond we build and the type of connection we have.”
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Kiyan admitted that there used to be some “pressure” to live up to hype, especially with his bloodline. But at the end of the day, his NBA dreams are his, not his father’s.
Kiyan Anthony from Long Island Lutheran drives towards the curve to Westminster Academy in the City of Palms Classic at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. (Amanda Inscore/The News Press)
“To be honest, early in my career, I wasn’t even so good at basketball. So just having a lot of opinions and people who said I’m not so good and my dad wasn’t there because he was still in the league, just trying to deal with it alone,” Kiyan said. “But when I started to get better as I continued to work, people started sort of taking my side, so now I got a lot of fans. Obviously, it’s a lot of haters out there, a lot of mixed opinions, but you know I’m just driving and I look forward to every game, having a big fanbase there. I know everywhere I go, there will be a lot of eyes I am where I pull everywhere. ”
“My dad was never the type of person to force me that I had to play basketball, that I had to do what he did. So he just let me rock and kind of let me make my own decisions, but it just happened that it was what I wanted to do and that’s what I fell in love with,” he continued. “So now I have the chance to follow his footprints to go to his school, hopefully win some games. Of course, the NBA is the main goal, but whether I go to school for a year or two years it will always be there. So just try to improve every day. This is what I want to do. I had a long talk to my dad about it, the other day, I actually just told him, it is what I will do, and I am.
The first step to living up to the Anthony name plays the lead role of Orange, where Melo won a championship in 2003. It has been up and down for Syracuse in recent years, but the younger Anthony is ready to bring back the bright days.
Syracuse Orange Former Player Carmelo Anthony (right) is presented his jersey by Syracuse Orange Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross (left) at his number retirement ceremony during the break of the game against Georgetown Hoyas in the Carrier Dome. (Rich Barnes-usa Today Sports)
“My dad won a national championship. Obviously, it’s the main goal, but even if I go in there and win some games, you have to get to the tournament, win a few games in the tournament, I feel like it’s a huge success because they have been away from the grid over the last few years,” Kiyan admitted. “They haven’t made a tournament. They haven’t won a lot of games at the conference. So I just want to try to go in there and really just bring the fan base back, bring what Syracuse is all about and everyone knows what it’s all about. They just haven’t been successful in the last few years.”
