There aren’t many role models greater than having a father who’s a 10-time NBA All-Star and a newly inducted Hall of Famer. For Kiyan, looking up to Carmelo Anthony means learning from one of the game’s great journeys.
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Melo, who retired in 2023, has passed the torch to his son, who will now play for his father’s alma mater, Syracuse University. That’s a pretty big deal, considering what the New York Knicks legend meant to the Orangemen.
Anthony led the school to its first National Championship in 2003, and there’s hope that Kiyan can bring glory to the New York-based program once again. To commemorate this milestone, the father-and-son duo appeared together for a special SLAM Magazine cover interview.
SLAM released the feature on its YouTube channel, showing the now 41-year-old Hall of Famer asking his son a key question as he prepares for his freshman year: “What do you think you learned most from watching my ups and downs throughout my career?” After a moment of reflection, the 18-year-old Anthony gave what he felt was his best answer.
“I learned that you got to adjust, you got to adjust on the fly. You was in every situation possible throughout your career. Every role, every situation, different teams. Different cultures,” Kiyan stated.
Melo’s NBA journey started with him as the go-to guy in Denver. He carried the Nuggets deep into the playoffs and then became the face of the Knicks in New York. He was the franchise star, expected to put up big numbers every night and carry the load, which suited his scoring-first game. That run showed the now Hall of Famer at his peak, doing what he did best as a pure bucket-getter
Later in his career, Anthony had to adjust to new roles with OKC, Houston, and Portland, where he was no longer the number one option. During those stops, he learned to space the floor, take fewer shots, and embrace being a steady veteran. With the Lakers, he settled into a mentor role while still flashing his old scoring touch. Each team gave him a different experience, and adapting to those styles extended his career longer than many expected.
“That just showed me that’s what the highest level is,” added Kiyan. “You never know what’s going to happen. Everything is super last-minute, you’ve got to be prepared. You not going to have time to sit down and think and talk to a lot of people. It’s kind of all on the fly. Be hungry, and be ready for whatever is thrown at you.”
Kiyan stepping into his own spotlight feels like a full-circle moment. The lessons of resilience, adaptability, and hunger that carried Melo through nearly two decades in the league are the same ones shaping his son’s mindset as he heads into college ball. Syracuse fans are buzzing at the chance to see another Anthony lead their squad, this time with the wisdom of two generations. The fall can’t come soon enough.
