NBA legend Dwight Howard reacts to Carmelo Anthony's snaps with son Kiyan Anthony after MVP performance at Melo Classic

Carmelo Anthony's son Kiyan Anthony turned heads with a standout performance at the 3rd annual 'A Very Melo Classic' showcase on Saturday. Kiyan, who is playing his senior season for Long Island Lutheran High School in New York, was named MVP after leading his team to a 60-49 victory over St. Paul VI in Bel Air, Maryland.

Anthony proudly added a picture with Kiyan accepting the MVP award to his Instagram, drawing reactions from fans and several big names, including the eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard.

"Thanks to everyone who came out to our 3rd annual A Very Melo Classic 🫡 @kiyananthony #STAYME7O," Carmelo captioned his post.

Former Magic and Lakers star Howard, who was also Anthony's former teammate, commented on the post by simply adding four fire emojis, clearly impressed by Kiyan Anthony’s performance.

Dwight Howard's comment (Credits: Instagram/@carmeloanthony)

The 6-foot-5 guard, a class of 2025 recruit, joined Long Island Lutheran in New York in 2023 after previously playing for Christ the King High School in Queens. He scored 14 points and helped his team secure the win against a tough Paul VI squad. His teammate Nigel James also added 14 points in the victory.

The Melo Classic MVP was the second big moment for Kiyan Anthony in recent weeks. Last week, the Syracuse commit received an MVP honor at the Hoophall Classic after leading Long Island Lutheran to a 63-57 victory against AZ Compass Prep School (Chandler, Arizona).

Carmelo Anthony shares his thoughts on Kiyan Anthony continuing Syracuse's legacy

Carmelo Anthony holds a special place in Syracuse University's basketball history, having led the Orange to the NCAA championship in 2003. It comes as no surprise that the proud father hopes to see his son continue his legacy.

Kiyan Anthony, who had offers from USC, Florida State, Rutgers and Auburn, committed to his dad's alma mater Syracuse in November 2024. The 10-time NBA All-Star described his excitement over Kiyan's decision in a recent interview with Tamron Hall Show.

"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, I backed out of it," Carmelo told Hall. "I couldn't have conversations with him because it'll be seen like I'm leaning towards the 'Cuse."

"So once he really said 'Dad, OK, I'm this is what I wanna 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."

Kiyan Anthony will join the Orange squad next season, along with four-star recruits Sadiq White Jr and Luke Fennell.