Entertainment
NBA star Carmelo Anthony’s son, Kiyan, is attending Syracuse University
The apple doesn’t fall removed from the tree. This weekend, Carmelo Anthony and La La Anthony celebrated their son Kiyan’s long-awaited college decision. As considered one of the highest 40 recruits in men’s basketball, the 17-year-old decided to proceed his father’s legacy by attending Syracuse University, Anthony’s alma mater. Kiyan announced the news along along with his parents in an episode of the show “7 p.m. in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony” podcast.
“I just look at Syracuse and see what could be done there if I were to go there,” Kiyan said, explaining his decision. “Top people I’m near are already coming; young coaching staff with whom I can establish contact. (It’s) near home, a 45-minute flight. (USC) would ask me to catch a six-hour flight to California. Just all this after which ACC; they play Duke, Carolina, they play all the great schools. All of this plays into why I selected Syracuse.
According to Carmelo, the choice got here after much debate and hesitation from the teenager.
“I’m glad he decided to make this decision,” said the previous NBA star, while his ex-wife La La emphasized that that they had no influence on their son’s final decision.
“I think it’s important to say… Kiyan really made this decision,” she added. “I feel it’s an incredible decision. (Syracuse is) an incredible school they usually worked really hard with recruiting and just made him feel like a priority. They were great and I mean those are big shoes to fill. But at the identical time, this is his moment and his line, so it is time for him to create his own.
While the NBA star shared his “input on all schools,” Kiyan says his growing relationship with the Syracuse staff solidified his decision.
“From the first day they started recruiting me, they made me feel like family,” he said ESPN. “My dad’s name on the facility is special, but I want to go in there and make my own name, and I’ve already done that with my involvement in the offseason, training in the mornings, playing in camps, playing laps in the stadium.”
Just as Kiyan desires to forge his own path in basketball, his parents at all times wanted him to have a way of individuality. La La claims that she and Carmelo intentionally didn’t name their son after the previous NBA star due to the “added pressure of being called Carmelo Anthony.”
“We did it on purpose so he could chart his own path and be himself and do things his own way,” she said. “I don’t think it takes all the pressure off, but a little bit. I just told (Kiyan), “You have to do your thing. Even when deciding on college, do what you think is best. You don’t have to just do everything your dad did… you have to do what makes sense for you.”