“Yo, Pops, it’s Kiy. You’ve been a Hall of Famer to me my whole life.” That’s how Kiyan Anthony spoke to his father, Carmelo, before the Hall of Fame moment. And truth is, it wasn’t just about that night—Kiyan’s always made sure Melo knows the respect runs deep. Now, though, he’s turning the spotlight on himself with a gift that reflects his journey so far—rocking that orange jersey as a symbol of it all.

InkedNBA just dropped a fresh post of Kiyan Anthony flexing those arms, now inked with two new tattoos. The caption read: “@kiyananthony continues to add to his insane arm sleeve! This time with two smaller filler pieces, one being the letters ‘NYC’ on the shoulder in a carnival font and the other being a ‘one-way’ street sign.” But if you know Kiyan, you know these aren’t just random designs—they’re personal.

Take “NYC” for starters. Even though Kiyan was born in Denver in 2007 while Carmelo was with the Nuggets, he was raised in New York. Both of his parents were born in New York, and Melo himself spent much of his youth in Baltimore before returning to the city as a Knick. Kiyan grew up bouncing between Christ the King High School in Queens and Long Island Lutheran High School, making NYC the backdrop to his basketball journey.

He even stirred up fans during a livestream when someone mentioned they were from Western New York. Kiyan looked puzzled and said, “Western? Where is that?” Then he doubled down, insisting that if you’re not from Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, or Harlem, it barely counts. He did throw Long Island a bone—“right when you enter Long Island”—but once he started drifting into Buffalo or deeper upstate, he admitted he didn’t even know what was out there. Needless to say, fans from Buffalo and upstate weren’t thrilled.

And then there’s the “One Way” tattoo—that one’s deeper. “Growing up in New York, I’ve always been around fashion,” Kiyan explained. “As I got older, [I’m] just trying to create my own fashion and trying to set my own lane.” That vision turned into One Way Clothing, the streetwear brand he launched with his best friend Jadyn in 2023. Based in Harlem but reaching people online and through NYC pop-ups, the line serves up sweatsuits, T-shirts, hoodies, and joggers. Kiyan even teased that One Way has been in talks with “high-level brands” about collaborations.

That fashion grind paid off big when Kiyan scored a collab with Travis Kelce and American Eagle. The AE x TK collection dropped over 90 pieces, priced between $14.95 and $179.95, mixing casual staples with bolder looks. Talking to Boardroom, he said, “Being part of this campaign has been unreal in the best way. Working with Travis… made this whole experience something I’ll never forget.”

So yeah, those two tattoos—‘NYC’ and ‘One Way’—aren’t just ink. They mark where Kiyan Anthony comes from and the lane he’s building for himself, while nodding to Carmelo, too.

Kiyan Anthony: From “CHAMPS” to “LEGACY”

Last month, Kiyan Anthony pulled up his sleeve and showed fans a massive new tattoo, and it wasn’t about him at all. On his arm now lives an homage to his dad, Carmelo Anthony, and that legendary photo of Melo holding up the Syracuse Post-Standard after the 2003 national championship. Only this time, the twist is all Kiyan: instead of Melo, the image is of him, and the bold “CHAMPS” headline has been swapped out for one word — “LEGACY.”

And that legacy is exactly what he’s chasing at Syracuse. At 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds, Kiyan isn’t just Melo’s son; he’s a four-star guard ranked No. 33 nationally in the 2025 class by On3. Schools like Tennessee, Florida State, USC, Michigan, and Indiana all wanted him, but he chose the Orange. “I chose Syracuse because the coaches recruited me from day one,” Kiyan Anthony said in November 2024. “They really showed me they were recruiting me for who I was and that it had nothing to do with my Dad.” He’ll now join fellow commits Sadiq White Jr., Luke Fennell, and Aaron Womack, giving Syracuse one of the top classes in the country.

Of course, Melo has his own hopes for his son’s next chapter. Speaking with Sports Illustrated during his AT&T March Madness campaign, the Hall of Famer kept it simple: “I just want him to go have fun. Go have fun, enjoy the college experience. I want him to enjoy being a college basketball player.” And if you’ve seen Kiyan’s game, you know the talent is there. He’s a skilled scorer who can hit tough shots off the dribble, off screens, or spotting up. Sure, the confidence sometimes leads to a rough shot selection, but as he heads to Syracuse, one thing is clear — this isn’t just about carrying Melo’s legacy, it’s about building his own.