At just 17 years old, Kiyan Anthony is turning heads—not only with his skills on the basketball court but also with his early ventures into the business world. The son of Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and actress La La Anthony, Kiyan holds a Name, Image, and Likeness valuation of $1.1 million, marking him as one of the nation’s top young earners in the NIL space.
He graduated Saturday from Long Island Lutheran High School and is set to follow in his father’s footsteps at Syracuse this fall. Notably, Kiyan launched his own clothing brand at 16, underscoring his sharp entrepreneurial instincts ahead of his collegiate debut.
Carmelo’s Son Kiyan Anthony Makes Waves With $1.1M NIL and Early Entrepreneurial Moves
Kiyan Anthony, son of Basketball Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and actress La La Anthony, is quickly emerging as one of the most marketable young athletes in the nation. With a Name, Image and Likeness valuation of $1.1 million, the 17-year-old guard is already outpacing many college stars in the NIL space—and doing it on his own terms.
Off the court, Kiyan is just as driven. At age 16, he co-founded a clothing brand, One Way Clothing, with his friend Jadyn. What began as an “anti-boredom project” has turned into a Harlem-based streetwear company specializing in hoodies, T-shirts and joggers.
The brand’s latest “1617” collection—named for the ages at which Kiyan and Jadyn launched their venture—has taken off, pushing the company into six-figure revenue territory.
Kiyan’s entrepreneurial mindset places him among a new generation of athletes shaping their brands long before reaching college. Speaking on NILOSOPHY, fellow prospect AJ Dybantsa praised the shift.
“I try to advocate for myself, just trying to create my own name and create my own lane,” Dybantsa said. “Instead of being somebody’s son, it’s automatically just me on the front of something just because I’m doing good.”
Kiyan stays locked in his venture stating,
“I’m really locked in on when I’m not on the court so just trying to continue to build it and trying to connect it to me on the court as much as possible like we have a brand deal coming like a collab with Syracuse we trying to do collabs with multiple other brands so just.”
With endorsement deals already in place from brands like PSD Underwear, Nerf, DoorDash and AT&T, Anthony has leveraged his growing influence into tangible results. He understands the importance of balancing his basketball responsibilities with his off-court interests.
“Basketball comes first and everything else comes second,” he said. “My people around me, my mentors, my agents—just doing a great job of putting everything in order and making sure I’m staying focused.”
As he prepares to begin his college career at Syracuse, Anthony will be joined by his cousin, who will help him manage the business side of his growing brand.
“He’s super locked in and invested into what I got going on,” Anthony said. “I’m looking forward to just living out there with him.”
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Kiyan Anthony’s story isn’t just about carrying a legacy—it’s about creating one. As the 36th-ranked prospect in the 2025 ESPN 100, Kiyan has committed to Syracuse University, the same school where his father became a national icon.
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