"He grew up fist-bumping LeBron James and Kevin Durant in NBA locker rooms, he texts Hollywood star Michael B. Jordan to talk ball and he calls Kim Kardashian his "aunt." It takes a lot to make the 18-year-old college freshman starstruck. But at an event full of Hollywood A-listers, he was left speechless: Music icons Jay-Z and Beyoncé were just across the room."
"When you grow up in the center of two celebrities' spotlights -- Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony is Kiyan's father, actress and model La La Anthony his mother -- you're used to attention. But the nature of that attention intensifies when you choose to play for the same university where your dad became a legend. For much of his life, Kiyan lived with the expectation that he would one day follow in his father's footsteps."
"That legacy is both a boost and a burden for his son, whose 1 million-plus Instagram followers made Kiyan a unique four-star high school recruit. His commitment seemed like the anointing of a prince. But as Kiyan finally steps into his own spotlight, he is determined to chase his own dreams -- and prove that he's more than his father's son."
Kiyan Anthony grew up amid celebrities and elite basketball environments, regularly interacting with NBA stars and Hollywood figures. He enrolled at Syracuse, where his father Carmelo Anthony is celebrated, inheriting both heightened attention and expectations. His social-media following and four-star recruit status amplified scrutiny, and his commitment to Syracuse sparked comparisons to his father's legacy. Kiyan seeks to establish his own identity by focusing on development, improvement and personal goals rather than lineage. He aims to be recognized for his progression, performance and ascent to prominence rather than solely as the son of a Syracuse legend.
Read at ESPN.com
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