NBA legend Carmelo Anthony’s son Kiyan made his college basketball debut last season with the Syracuse Orange. Melo also played for the Orange in 2002-2003, when he won the NCAA championship for the program.
Kiyan’s freshman year at Syracuse wasn’t nearly as spectacular as his father’s only season of college ball. However, he didn’t enter the transfer portal and will return for his sophomore season. On the “All The Smoke” podcast on Monday, Melo detailed how he’s helping Kiyan navigate through this phase.
“I’m gonna unlock the mental game,” he said. “And now I wanna see my son go have a good time and smile and play on the biggest stage. You’re in the ACC, Syracuse Orange, your dad went there, you’re wearing No. 7, I got you playing in Madison Square Garden this year against St. John’s. Let’s get to work.”
If we take away the pressure of being Carmelo Anthony’s son and following in his footsteps, Kiyan’s freshman season wasn’t disastrous. He played 29 games, averaging 18.7 minutes for 8.00 points per game. He shot 39.9%. He scored in double digits on multiple outings, including a 19-point performance against the Delaware State Hornets.
However, when the season ended, many thought that Kiyan, who was a four-star recruit, might start looking for other opportunities and a better system elsewhere. But he is committed to sharpening his tools at Syracuse and making a bigger impact next season.
Carmelo Anthony on Young Players’ Mental Health
Matt Barnes was impressed by Kiyan’s work ethic despite a disappointing season. He applauded Melo for being a great mentor to his son, as he knows the kind of pressure he might be going through better than most people.
Melo said that kids today have developed the habit of transferring to another school after a setback. So, he wasn’t going to let his son fall into the same trap, as it only adds to the pressure.
“We can’t keep letting these kids get away and go transfer, and then we talk about mental health,” he said. “Why the hell you stressed out at 18 years old? You’re in college playing basketball. … So, my message for him was just life.
“This is what we’ve gotta deal with. If it’s anybody you could learn from, I did it at the highest level. I’ve dealt with this, everything you could deal with when it comes to basketball.”
Melo said that he told his son to put his head down and focus on developing his game. The NBA legend revealed that Kiyan is putting on more weight and working on his strength and speed to be better prepared for the next season.
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