The two are rare in this basketball story.
Kiyan Anthony gets candid about which current NBA player gives him the best advice originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kiyan Anthony has never had a typical life, but even by his standards, the pressure that follows his last name is unique.
The 18-year-old Syracuse freshman grew up navigating NBA locker rooms, celebrity circles and constant expectations as the son of Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and actress and producer LaLa Anthony.
Now, as he begins his own college career, Kiyan says the most meaningful guidance he receives doesn’t always come from his famous parents, but from someone living a parallel path. Bronny James knows his story too well and is living it.
Anthony recently told ESPN that James, now in the NBA, has become his most trusted voice when the weight of expectations feels overwhelming.
“I feel like throughout this process, you could feel like you’re alone,” Kiyan said. “You feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and there is nobody behind you. But then having friends like that, that are going through the same thing I’m going through, somebody like Bronny — he’s way ahead of me and already in the NBA and going through way worse — it puts everything into perspective.”
Kiyan said James consistently reminds him that pressure is not something to fear, but something to embrace. “I feel like pressure is just an opportunity for success,” Anthony said.
That mindset has helped as Kiyan adjusts to life in the spotlight at Syracuse, where his father delivered the program’s lone national championship in 2003. Wearing the same No. 7 jersey once worn by Carmelo, Kiyan averages 11.5 points in 22.9 minutes per game off the bench, all while being stopped for photos and autographs daily.
Former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has called the comparisons “a little unfair,” but Kiyan is learning to separate legacy from identity.
With James offering perspective and Carmelo reinforcing fundamentals, Kiyan Anthony is focused on one goal: becoming his own player. “This is just basketball,” Carmelo said. “Go out there and be better.”
For Kiyan, the next chapter is his to write.
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