Knicks Legend Not Pushing Alma Mater on Son

New York Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony isn’t engaged in an Orange crush when it comes to the collegiate fate of his son Kiyan.

The eyes of amateur basketball followers are on the younger’s Anthony’s upcoming college decision, as the Long Island Lutheran star is currently being wooed by major schools like Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State, Rutgers, and USC. His surname, however, will forever connect him to Syracuse University, where Carmelo spent a historic single season.

In a profile on Overtime’s YouTube channel, Kiyan seemed appreciative that his father has left his future up to him, showing no preferential treatment toward the Orange as his decision looms.

“He never pushes me to go to Syracuse just because his name is on the gym,” Kiyan said. “He did so much at Syracuse. He knows that I’m my own person. I’ve just got to make my own decision at the end of the day … He’s never going to say, ‘You got to go to Syracuse. You got to go there because I went there.’ He’s not going to make me follow in his footsteps unless I really want to.”

The Orange do remain on Kiyan’s shortlist and he plans to take another visit to the campus before all is said and done. Syracuse’s men’s program is fresh off a 20-win season under first-year head coach Adrian Autry and former Knicks scout Alex Kline was recently named the general manager.

Anthony’s surname, of course, appears all over campus thanks to Carmelo’s legendary 2002-03 campaign: the Brooklyn native guided the Orange to its first national title as a freshman, earning All-American and the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player honors en route to a championship victory over Kansas. He then became the third overall pick in the 2003 draft and spent seven-plus seasons in Denver before joining the Knicks in 2011.

The concept of NBA royalty’s heirs following in their father’s footsteps is nothing: Jacob Wilkins, the son of Hall-of-Famer Dominique, committed to Georgia last fall while Shareef O’Neal played his latter two seasons at LSU, the alma mater of his father Shaquille.

Kiyan is in no rush when it comes to deciding to join their ranks, a choice that will feature insight from both of his parents, Carmelo and his mother La La.

“Even though I know basically the whole world wants me to go to Syracuse, I still haven’t made the decision yet and I still have to talk to the coaches some more and really get into detail,” Kiyan said. “I still have to finish up my visits, and then, ultimately, just make a decision. I will rely on my parents a lot with their advice and how they think a school fits me.”

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