Kiyan Anthony has a while before he hears his name called at the NBA Draft, but the high school sensation has already cemented himself as a rising star. Given that he’s the great Carmelo Anthony’s son, and given what he’s already shown on court, it’s not surprising that comparisons are already being made with some NBA greats.
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Kiyan is already tracing his famous father’s footsteps. He’s headed to dad’s alma mater Syracuse after school and is expected to be a star at the next level. Melo recently opened up about his son’s professional future and NBA comparison.
Kiyan stands at 6 foot 5 right now, but Melo hopes he’d eventually crack 6 foot 8. When asked by digital creator @overtimemikey who his son’s best pro comparison was, the 10-time All-Star named Paul George. Melo though, kept shaking his head when reminded that PG was Kiyan’s favourite player too.
“I’ll try to be very honest about his comp, because I know his game. His comp is Paul George,” said Melo. As soon as the interviewer heard PGs name, he jumped in reminding Melo that PG (and not him!) is Kiyan’s favorite. “Yeah, I am sick and tired of hearing that,” Melo responded with a touch of humor.
Melo also mentioned Tyrese Haliburton and Penny Hardaway as possible archetypes for Kiyan. “He’s Penny with a great jump shot. That would be my comp,” Anthony said, throwing in Shaun Livingston’s name as well.
Carmelo admitted that he couldn’t name himself as Kiyan’s NBA comp, despite the 17-year-old attaining most of his basketball experiences through his father. Instead, he focused on multi-faceted wings and intelligent point guards as the mold for Kiyan, especially considering his instincts on the court.
“With Kiyan, like I see the IQ is there. And I think that’s just genetics,” Melo continued. “But also, being around the game at a young age, seeing the game differently, understanding how I watch the game, being there, you know.”
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Kiyan has yet to even play at the collegiate level, but it’s clear Carmelo has great expectations for his son, who has been putting in the work from a very young age.
While the younger Anthony looks set to follow his famous father, Melo isn’t his son’s No.1 player. It’s Paul George.
Kiyan Anthony has shared his love for Paul George on several occasions
Kiyan has often said that Paul George is his favorite NBA player, even calling him the GOAT. So it’s no surprise that the up-and-coming guard has modeled his game after the nine-time All-Star. In an interview, he spoke about why PG is his favorite.
“I just think that the fluency he plays with and the smoothness he has to his game, it’s super elegant when he plays and people play like that. The way he could get to a bucket whenever, that’s what people like,” Kiyan said.
While his affinity for PG13 is no secret, Kiyan also shared some other players that he’s a fan of while talking with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “I like Paul George. I like Anthony Edwards. I like Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, everybody I feel like I could replicate my game after,” Kiyan added.
Kiyan has big aspirations for himself, hoping to eventually reach the level of several notable league All-Stars. Considering his strong work ethic and the fact that he has help from one of the game’s legends on tap, reaching professional greatness is a real possibility for Kiyan.
