La La Anthony had a proud mom moment as she watched her son, Kiyan Anthony, make his college basketball debut with the Syracuse Orange this week.
From her courtside seat, the television star cheered on the 18-year-old as he made a strong first impression on the court.
Kiyan helped lead Syracuse to an 85–48 win over Binghamton, scoring 15 points, along with three rebounds and three assists.
“First College Game for @kiyananthony. Crazy feeling!!! Proud mom moment! WOW HE DID THAT!!!” La La shared on Instagram
Among those celebrating Kiyan’s big night was LeBron James, a close friend of Carmelo and longtime supporter of the Anthony family.
The NBA star reposted ESPN’s update about Kiyan’s debut on his Instagram Story and added his own message of encouragement, writing, “Yessir nephew!!!”
Although Carmelo couldn’t attend the game due to his NBA analyst duties with NBC and Peacock, he still made time to celebrate his son’s big moment in real time.
“I’m just a proud dad, doing what we do and enjoying the game,” he said with a smile while watching Kiyan’s highlights. “He’s playing the right way. He’s developing, man. I just love to see him develop. This is his first game. I’m proud of you, Champ. I wish I could have been there.”
In addition, the NBA legend made sure to connect with his son before tipoff.
According to The Daily Orange, the former Syracuse legend grew emotional during their conversation, telling Kiyan it felt like “yesterday” that he was leading the Orange to their 2003 National Championship.
“I can only imagine how he felt watching his son put on the jersey,” Kiyan said after the game.
Carmelo plans to be courtside soon, with Kiyan revealing that his dad expects to attend Syracuse’s upcoming matchup against Delaware State on Saturday.
