“Team Melo really raised me,” Kiyan said in overtime, his voice carrying the weight of gratitude, loyalty, and years shaped under the shadow of greatness. Founded by his father, NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, Team Melo was a proving ground. Through every drill, every game, and every lesson, Kiyan was inheriting a legacy. The young hooper who initially had a passion for baseball found his calling for basketball much later after a growth spurt. And AAU was a big part of Kiyan’s career. He played for Team Melo, which is backed by his father, Carmelo Anthony, as per Slam. In 2024, he played his last AAU game. And if there’s anyone who knows much about AAU, it’s the former NBA player who gave some words of advice as well as a warning to a fellow AAU father. 

For those who aren’t aware, Melo is also the chair of the newly launched AAU Alumni Youth Basketball Advisory Council. So, when he was asked for a word of wisdom during his podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn, Melo opened up about the circumstances arising from NIL, endorsement deals, and much more. “It’s a lot of b******* that goes on in the industry. And AAU, just that whole it’s a lot of b*******. And it’s more and more b******* that’s coming into the game with money NIL. What I’m saying people who think that people could say that they can get this, they can get that, they do everything, be looking good to b******* these days,” he said as he went on to explain the transfer portal.

He further added, “So it’s like at the end of the day, understanding the landscape of the game and also understand where he, your son, fits in. We going to stick to this lane and rock with that cuz when you start moving around, it gets muddy,” Melo advised his podcast guest and AAU dad Karlous Miller. The two discussed how fast the transfer process is in AAU. Carmelo Anthony didn’t sugarcoat it—he called out the chaos creeping into youth basketball. Between the promises of NIL money, the noise of the transfer portal, and flashy distractions, he warned that the game is getting murkier by the day. His message was clear for the dreamers: know your lane, stay grounded, and don’t get lost chasing illusions.

Speaking of Melo’s son, Kiyan, he had an NIL valuation of $1.1 million even before he stepped into the college basketball scene. He also has his own clothing store. Speaking of the NIL deals now, Melo once explained how the situation is different from his time. Recalling what he advised his son, Melo shared that since Kiyan is making a lot of money now (thanks to NIL deals), he’s in a high tax bracket, just like the adults. 

In another episode of the podcast, he explained that he had warned his son that about 60% of the money he earns could be taken away by taxes. NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money isn’t tax-free. It’s treated like regular income. So when you add income tax (up to 37%) and self-employment tax (15.3%), that might not leave much behind.

Melo is fond of the idea that these young hoopers are getting paid. However, like many other experts, he raised concerns over the lack of rules around NIL. He urged for stricter rules to protect the players. “There’s no rules and ramifications around it… If you’re paying these young men and young women like employees of a business, just make it a real business thing,” he said.

And as for his son, he continues to guide him. Just recently, the two worked together on a brand campaign.

Carmelo Anthony wants to give some of his precious jewelry to son 

The former NBA player’s latest collaboration brought him and his son together for a campaign. The 10X NBA All-Star joined hands with the luxury jewelry brand David Yurman for the signature Curb Chain collection. The Knicks legend is not unfamiliar with the brand. 

For the campaign, Anthony was photographed by creative director Set Free Richardson and styled by creative director Khalilah Beavers. Through the storytelling, both Melo and the brand’ shared love for creating new trends and setting new bars of creativity was shown.

Melo’s 18-year-old son also made an appearance in the campaign. Speaking to PEOPLE, Melo described the experience of having his son close to him during the shoot as special. “I got a chance to really immerse him into a part of my world that he hasn’t been in. He’s seen everything, he’s been around everything, but seeing me work in this way, seeing me prepare for the shoot, and seeing me work in that type of environment was special to me,” Melo said.

He also added that he might pass a few pieces from his personal collection to his son. “I’m sure there’s a couple pieces that I would kind of pass down, [but], who knows with him. He might look at my jewelry like, ‘oh, that’s old!’” Melo shared. In the campaign ad, the father and son are seen talking about life and their passion for basketball over a game of pool.

Considering Melo’s suggestion from the podcast earlier, it’s not just about life and basketball, he guides his son in every aspect possible.