Carmelo Anthony may have hung up his sneakers, but apparently, that retirement was more of a suggestion than a decision—at least according to LSU superstar Angel Reese. On a recent episode of her podcast Unapologetically Angel, Reese practically begged Melo to dust off his jersey and hit the court again, all in the name of fulfilling his son Kiyan Anthony’s ultimate basketball dream.
Now, we all know Kiyan is one of the hottest young prospects on the scene. The kid’s got game—and height—just like his old man. With the NBA waiting patiently for Kiyan to make his college pick, it’s no surprise he’d love to share the floor with Carmelo. But leave it to Angel Reese to really push the idea.
After some casual chat about LeBron and Bronny James’ recent father-son NBA history, Reese hit Kiyan with the big question: “How you feel about Bronny getting to play with his dad? Would you have wanted to play with Melo? Tell him, ‘Come out of retirement, Melo.’” Reese added for good measure, “Melo, come out of retirement. We need that.”
Yeah, no pressure or anything, Melo. Just the entire basketball world and your son’s wishes resting on your decision. No biggie.
The Kiyan Conundrum: Where Will He Play?
Kiyan, who hasn’t committed to a college yet, has options spread out like a Thanksgiving feast. Naturally, Syracuse is on his radar—his dad’s old stomping grounds, where Carmelo dominated en route to a national championship. But Kiyan isn’t just some legacy kid banking on his dad’s name. He’s a legit four-star recruit, ranked as the top prospect in New York by ESPN. So, of course, programs from coast to coast are lining up for a piece of the next Anthony.
Last month, Kiyan even made a trip to USC, where Bronny James briefly suited up before that pesky cardiac scare sidelined him. Could we see a future where Kiyan follows in Bronny’s footsteps, both figuratively and literally? And will that be enough to drag Carmelo out of retirement for the most heartwarming father-son duo since… well, since LeBron and Bronny?
Melo’s Comparisons: Kiyan is Definitely Not Him
While Carmelo seems proud as ever of his son, he’s been pretty firm in denying that Kiyan is a mini-Melo. In fact, he’s got a whole buffet of NBA comps for the young prodigy—and surprise, none of them are Carmelo Anthony.
“I’ll be honest, I know his game,” Melo said in an interview with Overtime. “His comp is Paul George. Maybe Tyrese Haliburton. Penny Hardaway with a jumper. Shaun Livingston, but with a crazy jumper.” Yes, Carmelo compared his son to about half the NBA in one breath, while also slyly distancing him from his own legacy. Smooth, Melo. Real smooth.
Kiyan’s got big shoes to fill, though. At 6-foot-7 and still growing, he’s already drawing attention for his polished game. But can he live up to the dizzying expectations? Being compared to George, Haliburton, Hardaway, and Livingston is one thing. Actually living up to those names? That’s a whole other ball game. But hey, if Kiyan needs some advice, there’s a guy named Carmelo who knows a thing or two about dealing with NBA expectations.
The Clock’s Ticking, Melo…
Whether or not we’ll see Melo and Kiyan as a father-son duo remains to be seen. After all, Melo’s got a spot waiting for him in the Hall of Fame, and retirement’s been pretty good to him. But when your son—and Angel Reese—are calling you out on a podcast, it’s tough to just sit back and relax. So, Melo, what’s it going to be? Will we get the feel-good father-son moment of the century, or are you staying retired for real this time?
In any case, one thing’s clear: the basketball world is ready for the next Anthony, whether Carmelo’s on the court or in the stands.
Let’s just hope the Unapologetically Angel episode didn’t cause too much awkward dinner conversation at the Anthony household.
