New York Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony has a college decision to make and he may snub his father’s alum.
Just last week Carmelo revealed on the Jimmy Fallon show that his son Kiyan – a hugely talented high school player – had narrowed his college choices down.
His college choice is highly anticipated with the guard currently at Long Island Lutheran High School and is one of the highly-rated class of 2025 prospects, ranking 36 on ESPN’S top 100.
Now Kiyan’s decision is reportedly down to to two teams, and he is expected to announce his decision Friday with two powerhouse schools left in the running.
His father, a ten-time NBA All-Star, went to Syracuse where he won an NCAA championship in his first season.
Melo admitted his son’s choice is weighing on his mind as USC rival his alma mater for the younger man’s services.
“I’m a little nervous. He’s deciding which college he wants to go to. Its down to Syracuse and USC. So we’ll see.” Carmelo Anthony said on the Jimmy Fallon Show.
“It was a fine line I can’t cross. Yeah, due to my tie. You know, let him do his thing. But it’s been a fun process. Just seeing him, he’s just a great kid. He’s a good kid and a good man.” Anthony added.
Kiyan is considered one of the best shooting guard prospects with his playmaking abilities also touted to be one of his best traits.
Standing 6’4 tall, the 17-year-old said his decision would be based on two things.
“I want to go in right away and see growth, where I can develop my game and just try to win,” he said during Angel Reese’s podcast show, ‘Unapologetically Angel’.
While he waits to pick his college, Kiyan has already secured success in the marketing world.
Signing with WME agency, the 17-year-old now has NIL representation to boost his brand off the court having already had a portfolio of brands like PSD Underwear and NERF.
It takes his valuation to an impressive $1.1 million according to On3 which puts him at 11th in the rankings amongst his fellow high-school basketball players.
AJ Dybantsa tops the list with a $2.3 million NIL valuation but Kiyan leads the pack by far in terms of social media following with a combined following of over 1.3 million across Instagram, TikTok and X.
Meanwhile, his dad admitted that he is staying out of his son’s decision-making with the whole process and the noise around it has brought some nostalgia to him.
‘It’s tough, in a sense, because it’s like I’m watching it, I’m seeing it all over again from my son, like I’m seeing this all over again. the way that people was probably looking at me when I was coming up in high school”, Carmelo said.
“I get a chance to look at my son in this situation the same way.
“But the good thing is that you have somebody who’s already been doing it. The blueprint is already laid, follow the blueprint, the blueprint to get you there. Now, what you do when you get there, that’s on you.”
The New York Knicks legend spent one season at Syracuse in 2002 where he averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds a game in a season where they would go on to win the national championship.
Carmelo would then go on to declare for the 2003 draft where he was picked up by the Denver Nuggets as the third pick.
The forward would go on to have a good spell with the Nuggets leading them to playoffs every season, before being traded to the Knicks in 2011 where he set a Knicks single-game scoring record of 62 points in 2014 against the Charlotte Hornets.
He also went on to win three Olympic gold medals as part of the United States ‘Dream Teams’, winning in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
His son’s college choice wait will be over soon though with Carmelo confirming that Kiyan will reveal his choice on the next episode of his podcast show ‘7PM in Brooklyn’ on November 15.
