"It's definitely unfair" - Carmelo Anthony reveals his advice to son Kiyan Anthony after Syracuse commitment

Basketball - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 13 - Source: Getty
Carmelo Anthony talks about the advice he gave his son about playing for Syracuse (Photo credits: GETTY)

Ten-time NBA All-Star and former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, as a special guest on the Tamron Hall Show's Friday episode, talked about his son, Kiyan Anthony, who's following in his footsteps.

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Just like Carmelo, Kiyan is going to play college basketball for Syracuse. As someone who has played for Syracuse, Carmelo offered his advice to his son on how to navigate the pressure of living up to the standard he had set.

Carmelo got candid in sharing the insight he has for his son.

"It's definitely unfair, but it's part of it," Carmelo said. "When he came to me and said that this is the decision that he wanted to do for so long, I didn't say anything."
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Carmelo said that he stayed quiet while his son was mulling over which college to go to to avoid influencing Kiyan's decision. When Kiyan eventually decided to go to Syracuse, Carmelo offered his advice:

"So when he said 'dad, this is what I want to do,' then I was able to lay out what is in front of you. The good, the bad, what to expect, what not to expect. Also, what I did 20-something years ago is 20-something years ago. You have the opportunity to live off of that legacy but also create a whole new lane for this new generation."
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As per 247 Sports, Kiyan Anthony is one of the top shooting guards in the nation and is a four-star recruit. He chose among several high-profile colleges like USC and Arizona State but eventually committed to Syracuse. Now, he has some big shoes to fill as he follows in his father Carmelo Anthony's footsteps.

Carmelo played only one season in Syracuse. He played 35 games, averaging 36.4 minutes per contest, averaging 22.2 points on splits of 45.3/33.7/70.6%. He also grabbed 10.0 rebounds, dished out 2.2 assists and came away with 1.6 steals per game.

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In Carmelo's only season playing for Syracuse, the team won the NCAA championship game.

His outstanding performance in college led to him being taken third overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. Carmelo was taken ahead of Chris Bosh, who was taken at fourth and Dwyane Wade at fifth. The two players taken ahead of him were LeBron James and Darko Milicic, who were one and two, respectively.

Also Read: "They're going to Marbury you" - Carmelo Anthony cautions Jimmy Butler with his 2 cents on trade saga

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Carmelo Anthony shared his opinion on what number Kiyan Anthony should wear for Syracuse

Kiyan Anthony has already decided on which college he wants to play for, but he has another decision to make: which jersey number he's going to wear when he goes to Syracuse.

During a November episode of 7 PM in Brooklyn, Kiyan shared that he would decide between three and seven. He said that three is his favorite number while seven is his birthdate. He also mentioned that his father, Carmelo Anthony, has worn the No. 7.

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"Mom keeps saying, carve out your own lane," Carmelo weighed in. "15 is in the rafters, 7 is new. You get what I'm saying? Go carve that 7 out over there."
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Carmelo Anthony wore the No. 15 in his lone season at Syracuse. He continued to wear the same number when he played for the Denver Nuggets. When he was traded to the New York Knicks, he switched to No. 7. Carmelo's No. 15 jersey was retired by Syracuse in 2013.

Nuggets Fan? Check out the latest Denver Nuggets depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

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Edited by Bhargav
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