La La Anthony Beaming Courtside as Son Kiyan Kicks Off His Syracuse Era With Stellar Start

La La Anthony could be seen beaming with pride as she sat courtside for her and Carmelo Anthony’s son, Kiyan’s, first college basketball game. Anthony chose to walk in his father’s footsteps, signing with Syracuse in November.

For months, fans have been waiting to see Kiyan Anthony make his debut for the university, and that moment came on Saturday. Anthony took the court against the University of Buffalo in an exhibition game.

His mother, La La Anthony, was sitting courtside and shared pictures and videos from her son’s debut on her Instagram story.

“My whole ♥️,” Anthony wrote.

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Kiyan Anthony impressed many with his performance. He finished with 10 points, shooting 4-for-7, including 2-for-4 from 3-point range, and displayed a high level of play on both ends of the floor.

Considering his father’s status as a Syracuse legend, it wasn’t surprising to see the university’s fanbase cheering for Anthony throughout the matchup.

“It makes me feel great just to know that the fanbase is behind me," he said after the game. "I’m looking forward to going back to the Dome and playing a scrimmage game at home.”

La La Anthony highlights the similarity between Kiyan and his father, Carmelo Anthony, after his Syracuse debut

La La Anthony shared another post on her Instagram, highlighting how Kiyan Anthony’s first basket in college was eerily similar to his father, Carmelo Anthony’s, signature fadeaway.

Kiyan drove close to the rim and stepped back to create separation before draining a fadeaway jumper. The play was highlighted by ESPN and reshared by La La.

Carmelo Anthony is considered the best basketball player to come out of Syracuse. He led the program to its lone NCAA title during his one-and-done season there.

He played 35 games, averaging 22.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists, shooting 45.3%. He went on to be drafted at No. 3 by the Denver Nuggets in 2003, and the rest is history.

Starting his collegiate journey at Syracuse, Kiyan Anthony hopes to join his father in the rafters after his run with the team. He will play his first regular-season game with the university on Nov. 3, taking on Binghamton.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan