Back in 2019, a 12-year-old Kiyan was not willing to even click pictures with his mom. “Don’t post that. Whatever you do, just don’t post that,” he would keep instructing, leaving La La exasperated. The preteen’s need for privacy extended to his school as he wouldn’t allow his mom to come inside. “No, mom. Can you just wait outside? Cool [mom] or not, I want you outside,” he would say and that prompted La La to once spy on him!

A group of girls and guys, including Kiyan, had gone to an arcade. Wanting to constantly know what the kids were up to, the curious mama sent in her driver to spy on them. They’re drinking sodas. They’re just hanging out. She’d listen to these updates with intense attention. But 2024 onwards, we have witnessed a different version of the mother-son relationship. Kiyan is no longer shy about showing his appreciation for his mom. “Mom, you have been my valentine for 16 years now…Thank you for everything.” That was Kiyan Anthony’s sweet message to his momma, last Valentine’s Day. It was a moment that showed just how tight their bond really was. Fast forward to this week, and the 18-year-old is back at it again.

And this time for Mother’s Day. The son of 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony pulled off another heartwarming surprise for his mom, and fans can’t get enough of it. Mother’s Day is just around the corner (May 11), and Kiyan Anthony had some pre-celebration planning for his mother. In partnership with DoorDash, the 18-year-old Syracuse commit took to Instagram to surprise La La with a thoughtful gift. The reel posted on her account showed Kiyan gifting his mom a stunning bouquet and some essentials, and a giant bag made entirely of red roses. On the front? Her name, “La La,” is written in all caps with white roses.

Kiyan stated: “DoorDash hooked us up. We are about to do something special with my mom for Mother’s Day. Watch this, she’s going to come down…” Inside the oversized bag, Kiyan had packed a mix of his mom’s favorite chocolate candies, like Snickers and Kit Kat, along with some beauty products from Sephora. La La’s reaction was priceless. “I love it! … You did good, you did so good!” she exclaimed. But then she hit Kiyan with the big question. “What made you want to do this?”

Kiyan’s reply? “DoorDash,” caught off guard, La La playfully smacked him and replied, “You’re supposed to say you love your mom.” Post this, her son continued to promote DoorDash—the brand with about $80.5 billion market cap.

It looks like Kiyan’s Mother’s Day surprise turned into something way bigger and a whole lot more public, thanks to DoorDash. But you know, pulling off surprises isn’t just Kiyan’s thing. La La knows how to flip the script, too.

La La Anthony left her son awestruck without saying a word!

Carmelo Anthony’s ex-wife, La La Anthony, always finds a way to keep things interesting. She’s loud and proud when it comes to supporting her son, Kiyan. From sharing his basketball highlights to celebrating every milestone, she makes sure the world knows she’s his biggest fan. But this time, it wasn’t just another feel-good post. And yes, Kiyan never saw it coming.

After his senior night game for Long Island Lutheran against IMG Academy in February, Kiyan stepped into a gym completely decked out in balloons, courtesy of his mom. And as if that wasn’t enough, his dad, Carmelo Anthony, was right there courtside too. 

La La later hopped on Instagram to share a sweet moment between Carmelo and Kiyan, captioning it, “Forever ur #1 fan…MOM, I embarrassed @kiyananthony with all these balloons in the gym for his senior night. Love you so much!” 

And honestly, that’s the kind of wholesome flex you love to see. La La made it clear. No matter how big the stage, she’ll always be front row for her son. As for Kiyan, it looks like it will take him some time to let go of the self-consciousness he feels after his mom shows love for him. What do you think?