When passed down on a basketball court, there’s something poetic about heritage, especially when connected to the NBA. The name stitched across Kiyan Anthony’s back is more than just a way to identify him; it’s also something he inherited. Now that his father, Carmelo Anthony, has finally left the court, all eyes are on the next Anthony with big hopes not just from the basketball community but from his father personally. For the Anthony family, basketball is more than just a game; it’s a family code that’s carved into stone into hardwood history with a hunger to succeed and make something count.

With three Olympic gold medals, Melo was a big deal in his time. Carmelo Anthony is coming back to where his fame first developed — back to the grind-heavy gym runs, streetball leagues, and whispered stories of “Hoodie Melo” this summer. But this return has nothing to do with his personal legacy, but maybe something beyond that. It’s not even about the competition. As Melo shared on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, the urgency now belongs to his son, Kiyan Anthony.

“Five years,” Melo declared. “I told you five years. Five years.” Being Melo’s son isn’t easy. “What I give him? Five years until he can, gotcha. Hopefully, God’s willing, a couple years in the league by that time. But five years. I give you five years, Ch.” For a father who hung up his jersey for his son, the clock has officially started ticking in reverse. Melo opened up about the last few years of his career on the podcast, saying that his choice to retire in 2023 wasn’t always the plan.

His goal was to play in the NBA for 20 years, and he even teased fans with the idea of playing one final time with LeBron James. But the blueprint changed. “I told him, when you get to high school, I’m retiring,” Melo recalled. That came in Kiyan’s freshman year, 2022. Still, it was the little Anthony who encouraged his father to take one more lap and continue for another season. “Go play with your bro. You ain’t going to never get a chance to do this again,” Melo remembered his son saying. It was a son who gave his father a second wind, and now the father hopes the same from the son to give his best and reach the top.

The roles are now flipped. Melo has handed the torch to Kiyan and placed the focus on him, and is willing to give him his best knowledge. “I got to get Kai right, you know what I’m saying? So I got to get right. He going to get me right.” Melo has one of the best scores in the history of the game, so anyone who wants to be like him should know that it will take a lot of work. He proved himself right through college and won the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2004. Carmelo has always had a certain air of dominance that helped him build a successful career. But will fans see his reflection again?

The elder Anthony is locked in for the boy he believes in, not for himself, whether it’s private training sessions, pick-up runs at Dykeman, or the grind of small summer circuits. Melo’s five-year window is not only a motivational slogan; it is a father’s push disguised as a countdown, a challenge, a timeframe. Now is the time if Kiyan wants the world to see what Melo envisions.

Syracuse assists Carmelo Anthony’s dream for Kiyan

Though the torch has been passed, Kiyan flows in his own way. Kiyan promised to Syracuse, his father’s alma mater and the location of Melo’s most significant undergraduate success, the 2003 NCAA Championship, in a gesture high with meaning. But for Kiyan, this is about changing history, not recreating it. Although it won’t be easy but he has the right voices around him that will ease the burden from his shoulders.

“From day one, when they started recruiting me, they made me feel like it was family,” Kiyan told ESPN. “My dad’s name on the facility is special, but I want to go in there and create my own name.” That feeling has influenced every decision Kiyan has made thus far. He went to the school, developed relationships with Coach Adrian Autry and the staff, and made the call, which was not under pressure but rather with the intention to make the most of this journey.

La La Anthony has made it clear that this was Kiyan’s decision alone. In an era where legacies in sports are often wrapped in entitlement, the Anthonys want it differently; their route is one that honors freedom, trust, and determination within oneself. That’s what makes the next chapter more interesting.

Kiyan Anthony isn’t trying to be the next Carmelo. He’s trying to be the first Kiyan. With his father’s support, the next five years won’t just define his game; they will showcase the hard work of a generation finally being recognized. Will it be easy? No, but it is possible.