"I didn't pressure him": La La reveals she & ex-husband Carmelo Anthony had no hand in son Kiyan Anthony's college decision

Kiyan Anthony, son of 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony and TV personality La La Anthony, is ranked at the 33rd spot nationally in the Class of 2025, per On3. He chose to commit to his father's alma mater, Syracuse, on Nov. 15.

Kiyan Anthony also had offers from other programs, including Florida State, USC, Providence and Michigan, among others. Choosing a college is a significant decision for any high school athlete, and in an exclusive interview with Clutch Sports, La La Anthony shared insights into her son's decision-making process:

“The truth is, he visited a lot of schools, and he was open to each experience and figuring out what worked for him,” La La Anthony said. “He really sat and thought about it for a long time and made the decision that Syracuse was where he wanted to go. And we support him fully."

She also said that the decision to join the Orange was Kiyan's decision and that there was no pressure from her or Carmelo Anthony:

“It was definitely his decision. His dad didn't pressure him; I didn't pressure him. It's his life, it's his journey, [and] we wanted to be in a place that he is comfortable,” La La continued.

She also shared some advice for the 6-foot-5 shooting guard:

“Just be you; be a leader,” she said. “Don't be a follower. Be a person that makes your own decisions. Be a person that stands firm in what your beliefs are. And don't let people sway you from that.”

“You don't want social media to be the tool that raises or teaches your kid right from wrong,” she continued. “Social media can be a great tool for a lot of things, but you want to be the kind of parent that talks to your kid [to] where your kid feels comfortable to come to you about advice.”

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Carmelo Anthony's advice for Kiyan Anthony

According to On3, Kiyan Anthony has a $1.1 million NIL valuation. He has deals with PSD Underwear, Nerf and Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, among others.

He talked about the advice his father, Carmelo Anthony, gave him about NIL deals:

“When looking at NIL deals, look for the long-term and look for the longevity in a deal,” Anthony told On3 via Zoom. “Don’t just try to do all these one-off deals where you can make some money. Look for long-term deals where you can actually build a relationship with the … NIL brand."

The Long Island Lutheran player will join Sadiq White, Luke Fennell and Aaron Womacak at Syracuse next season.