
via Imago
Credits Imagn

via Imago
Credits Imagn
Remember when Kiyan Anthony proudly said, “My GOAT is Paul George. Paul George is the best player ever. Kobe. Paul George…Carmelo Anthony”.This revelation even shocked his mother, La La Anthony, who expected his son to choose Melo as number 1 and not 3. But ever since this statement, the 18-year-old has not budged and has expressed various times why he follows the 76ers star. And now there is another connection in the Philly locker room that ties both George and young Anthony.
The No. 3 Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and PG’s newest teammate, VJ Edgecombe, is the common thread. How? Well before being a teammate with the NBA star and before his college journey with Baylor, VJ was a teammate of Kiyan Anthony. He attended Victory International Institute in Florida for two years before transferring to Long Island Lutheran in New York. There, he played his senior season (2023-24) alongside Kiyan Anthony, and also fulfilled the role of a veteran. So, who better to tell about the behavioral pattern of the 18-year-old?
“We were roommates. When he first came to LuHi, we were roommates cuz they wanted they was like, “Oh, this VJ last year, he’s (Kiyan) new to the program. You just show him the ropes kind of.” So, I was like his vet. Like his vet, you feel me?” On Paul George’s podcast, Edgecombe explained how he and Kiyan first became roommates. There’s just a 2-year age difference between the two, and yet VJ had to fulfil the duty of a veteran. During that time, he learned about the true character of the Knicks icon’s son, which hasn’t changed.
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“So, we got super close cuz we were roommates. We were always on the road. He’s just a great kid, bro. People think he’s probably like cocky because of who he is, who his dad is, who his mom is. Like, nah, bro. Like, super humble kid, too, he always like, he works hard. Always want to learn. I think he’s a really good kid,” said VJ on Podcast P. The hard work of Kiyan Anthony can be visible not only in his stats but his ascent to the top of basketball charts.
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Despite being the son of Carmelo Anthony, by the end of 2022, Kiyan wasn’t in ESPN’s top 100 players in the class of 2025. Now, he is the #1 rated player in New York. If that’s not hard work that what is? That’s why Melo’s son gave credit to VJ for helping him during their time in LuHi.
Kiyan Anthony on his learnings from ‘veteran’ VJ Edgecombe
During their time, VJ Edgecombe would lead the Crusaders to a 21-5 overall record. He did so by scoring 17.3 points, six rebounds, four assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Being proficient on both ends is what VJ achieved even at Baylor, as he set a Baylor freshman record with 68 steals in 2024-25. That’s why even Kiyan Anthony was soaking it in from a player who was only two years older than him.
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“I mean for two years, that [VJ Edgecombe] was my roommate, so basically one of my closest friends, seeing him every day, staying with him every night, you know, being in the same room.” Kiyan continued, “I just learned everything, like from how he approaches the game; you know how he wakes up every morning and how he eats. So, I learned from that, and now I am trying to apply that to myself, plus of what I already have from my dad.”
The eagerness to learn is what VJ and Paul George liked in the 18-year-0ld, despite him being the son of a 10x All-Star. That’s why, before going to Syracuse, VJ had sent a message to Kiyan, “Bro, you’re good. You have a chance to go one and done.” Edgecombe, too, had a one-and-done season with the Bears, and that’s why he said that the 18-year-old should focus on enjoying his Syracuse journey, rather than worrying about emulating his father’s legacy.
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Kiyan Anthony's GOAT is Paul George—Is he right, or should Melo be his top pick?
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Kiyan Anthony's GOAT is Paul George—Is he right, or should Melo be his top pick?