"He took it upon himself": When Carmelo Anthony was proud his son Kiyan Anthony didn't wait for him or his mom La La to start his own brand

Carmelo Anthony once discussed how proud he was that his son Kiyan Anthony was already thinking of the future by starting the business side of his career. Carmelo spoke to Overtime in 2023, during an exhibition for Kiyan Anthony’s 'One Way' clothing brand in New York City.

The ninth all-time scoring leader in NBA history said he was proud of Kiyan for launching his clothing brand right from an early age without waiting for him or his mom, La La, to help out.

“I’m proud of him that he took it upon himself to set up a little business for him and not wait for me or his mom to set it up. It’s like he really is doing it himself.” (00:09:59)

Meanwhile, Kiyan expressed how it was initially difficult for him to grow the One Way brand. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard, who announced his collegiate decision for Syracuse earlier this month, revealed it was a struggle when he first launched the brand.

“We started a brand back in February and it was like a bit of struggle the first couple of months. Us being able to come here and do the pop-up shop for the first time and seeing how successful it’s going, it’s like it means a lot." (00:10:08)

Kiyan Anthony's growing portfolio

Kiyan Anthony is not just focusing on his One Way clothing line as he also has many diverse portfolios off the court. The 17-year-old, who has an On3 NIL valuation of $1.1 million, has already secured NIL representation by signing with WME Sports.

Anthony's reputation as a skilled shooter, just like Carmelo, has shot up his valuation. Even though he is just starting, his list of endorsements already includes partnerships with PSD Underwear, Nerf, and the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. His NIL value is one of the biggest in high school basketball, ranking at No. 11 (via On3).

Also, by signing with WME Sports, his marketability profile is expected to rise higher, thereby bringing in more deals.

The 17-year-old is already taking care of business on the court with his impressive displays this year. At Nike’s EYBL, Kiyan Anthony was arguably the best player, averaging 19.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game over 15 games. Anthony also averaged 28.5 points per game across eight games at the NBPA Top 100 camp in Orlando last summer.