The NBA world witnessed a legend ride off into the sunset on Monday. Carmelo Anthony, who played 19 NBA seasons with six different teams, officially announced his retirement from the association. The 10-time all-star was one of the last members of the legendary 2003 draft class, with LeBron James now being the last active player from said class. As Anthony heads into his post-basketball career, he leaves one incredible legacy behind. If you ask Anthony, he'll likely say the biggest part of that legacy is his son, Kiyan Anthony.
“My legacy, my son, it’s in you,” Carmelo said in his retirement announcement video. “I will forever continue through you because the time has come for you to carry this torch. So (Kiyan), chase your dreams. Let nothing hold you back. Let nothing intervene. My legacy, now and forever, lives on through you. And I will always be proud of all that you do. Peace.”
Thank you #STAYME7O pic.twitter.com/4au8cOd13s
— Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) May 22, 2023
The 16-year-old, who currently plays at Long Island Lutheran High School in New York, is already receiving offers from Division I schools two years before his graduation.
If he continues his trajectory, he could make the NBA like his father before him. In honor of Carmelo's retirement, let's go over Kiyan's upbringing and basketball career to this point.
Carmelo Anthony's son Kiyan Anthony
Born on March 7, 2007, Kiyan Anthony is the son of Carmelo Anthony and Alani “La La” Vasquez. According to 247Sports, the 16-year-old rising junior currently stands at 6-4 and 165 pounds.
Kiyan followed in his father's footsteps and got into basketball, presumably at an early age. Now he is one of the top players in the upcoming 2025 recruiting class, ranking No. 62 nationally, No. 14 among shooting guards and No. 3 in the state of New York.
According to the Athletic, he is averaging 15.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game this season. His shooting percentage isn't fantastic (37.6% from the field and 26.4% from beyond the arch), but his greatest strength is as a playmaker.
Kiyan has 30 assists against just 10 turnovers, and he also leads the team with 12 steals.
So far, Kiyan has offers from 11 Division I programs. That includes mid-major teams like Bryant, George Mason, Manhattan and UMass, but also more notable teams such as Illinois, Indiana, Memphis, Providence, Seton Hall and Tennessee.
However, there's one school to offer Kiyan that might hold more significance than any of those: Syracuse.
Before Carmelo made a name for himself in the NBA, he became a legend at Syracuse. He only played one season with the Orange (2002-03), but led the team to its first, and so far, only, national title.
In that season, he averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per game and was the Big East Freshman of the Year and the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Orange coach Jim Boeheim even called Carmelo “by far, the best player in college basketball.” For Kiyan to don the same jersey his father once did is surely a special opportunity.
Kiyan Anthony also isn't the only son of an NBA legend looking to follow in their father's footsteps. There's also Bronny James, son of Carmelo's fellow 2003 draftee LeBron James, who committed to USC earlier in May.
Kiyan and Bronny have actually played each other, with the latter's Sierra Canyon defeating the former's Christ the King 62-51 in December.
Kiyan still has a long way to go in following his father's path to the NBA, but he looks to be on the right track.
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