With the superstars of the 2000s either retired or in the final stage of their career, the onus to carry their legacy has rightfully been bestowed on their children. Of course, the biggest example is Bronny James, who’s followed in LeBron’s footsteps. Yet, veteran analyst Stephen A. Smith questioned LeBron’s parenting after Bronny crumbled under pressure in one of his performances, “I am pleading with LeBron James, as a father: Stop this! Stop this!” Amid the criticism, LBJ’s longtime pal Carmelo Anthony might have indirectly rescued him from the continuous scrutiny by making a shocking confession about his son, Kiyan.

Well, Kiyan is in a similar situation as Bronny. He, too, is the son of an NBA legend, hoping to make it to the big leagues. It turns out that Melo has assisted him every step of the way in preparing for his journey. The Knicks legend said on the Boardroom Podcast, “A lot of times we put a lot of pressure on our younger generation to go out there and be this superstar at 17 years old. With me, I’m on the flip side. I still gotta be a parent, I still gotta be a father, I still gotta teach him.”

He continued, “Oh yeah, by the way we’re gonna go work out, we’re gonna go talk the game, we’re gonna watch the game. It’s just little nuggets that I can give him from being inside the NBA or being inside the game that the average person just won’t understand what I’m talking to him about.” Yes, Melo’s comments prove that it’s normal for an NBA Dad to help their son excel as an athlete and potentially give them an added edge.

Even in the past, players like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson grew up practicing with the best resources. They learned from the brilliant NBA minds, as their fathers were part of the league. However, no one batted an eye because of how great the Splash Bros turned out. Meanwhile, Bronny not being as great in his rookie season has led to people pointing fingers at LeBron.

But his growth has been tremendous considering he was the 55 pick. And most second-round picks don’t last long in the NBA. Unfortunately, most critics fail to accept it and pin point every one of Bronny’s mistakes like he is a lottery pick.

Melo’s comments also show how beneficial it is for stars like himself and LeBron to interact with their sons.

Carmelo Anthony reveals how Kiyan has benefited from the Father-Son interactions

Despite being under constant spotlight, Kiyan has managed to stay focused on his game and constantly work toward his NBA dream. Plus, Melo revealed the telling role in his son’s journey, “So, you getting that information at 9, 10, 11 years old, its only right by time it’s starting to connect and click, its autopilot. And I think that’s what we seeing with Kiyan. We’ve been talking about this journey and process for so long that now it’s starting to connect the game. It’s starting to connect his maturity.”

At only 17-years-old, Kiyan has an NIL valuation of $1.1 million. Moreover, he recently followed in his father’s footsteps by committing to his alma mater, Syracuse.

And he even acknowledged how much his father has helped him in his journey, “The struggle was real, especially in middle school and my freshman year in high school. I didn’t know what I was doing then, but I started listening to my dad. I trusted his words, established a routine and began to change into my own player.” That’s an important lesson, people. Listen to your dads if they are successful in their respective fields!

Well, he will be eligible for the NBA draft next year and don’t be surprised if Carmelo Anthony pulls some strings to get him better career opportunities. Because isn’t that what all fathers are supposed to do?