Kiyan Anthony is making a name for himself with flashes of greatness in his high school basketball career. And he doesn’t even need the help of his famous parents, Carmelo and La La Anthony.
The 18-year-old star shooting guard out of New York just led The Long Island Lutheran Crusaders to become champions of The Throne, one of the most prestigious high school basketball tournaments in the country...and he took home the Finals MVP in the process.
With this in mind, we felt it was the perfect time to highlight why Kiyan is different. In a sport now littered with fathers who played in the NBA, the promising New York guard still finds ways to stand out.
He’s not afraid of the spotlight
Unlike some sons of NBA stars, Kiyan is not afraid to embrace the attention he gets as the only child of future hall of famer Carmelo. Compare Kiyan to Bronny James: Although he is extremely popular and gets even more attention because of his father, LeBron James, he seems to shy away from the limelight. However, Kiyan has no worries about putting himself out there for the media and wants the attention of everyone. It’s almost as if he’s preparing himself for superstardom.
He wants to follow in his father’s footsteps
Unlike other children of professional athletes, Kiyan does not seem to be afraid of his father’s legacy. When others are asked about their parents who played professionally, they often want to distance themselves and carve out their own legacy. Kiyan embraces the legacy his father built, so much so that he committed to Syracuse University, where his father became a basketball legend.
He shines in any basketball setting
Most importantly, Kiyan’s game backs up the hype that he’s received. Not only does he show out in organized basketball settings, as evidenced by his MVP performance in The Throne, but he also plays his tail off during streetball events. Just watch how he didn’t back down from anyone during this street ball game in Long Island, New York.
He is open about his future with his family
Based on conversations Kiyan has had with his family, it’s clear that he’s not afraid to share his plans with his parents. He’s open about his future and it seems clear that any decision he makes about his basketball future comes from him and no outside pressure or influences from anyone else.
He’s in no rush to go to the NBA
While there may be pressure for Kiyan to go to the NBA after his freshman year at Syracuse University, it sounds like there won’t be a rush. Unlike LeBron and Bronny, there’s no pressure of those two playing together, so Kiyan can take his time to develop as a person and player while he’s a student.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Carmelo said, “I just want him to go have fun. Go have fun, enjoy the college experience. I want him to enjoy being a college basketball player.”
Carmelo later added, “I just want him to get on campus, have a good year, develop, get better on the court. ... Now, it’s about basketball. It’s about developing, you don’t have no time for anything else. It’s books and ball. I think having him in that environment where he can just lock in and just focus. He’s on campus, he understands that this is college basketball and what comes with that.”
He’s willing to be different
At the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit, a team of the best American high school players will face the “world” team, which is filled with players from outside the United States. Kiyan took the opportunity and decided to play for the world team and represent Puerto Rico: His father is half Puerto Rican and both of his mother’s parents have Puerto Rican heritage. It shows Kiyan’s willingness to be different and compete against the other best high school players in the world.
He has the support of other NBA legends
Carmelo is not the only former NBA player discussing Kiyan’s potential, others are taking notice as well, including Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Gilbert Arenas.