Getting a homage tattoo isn’t the only thing Kiyan did to make his mother proud. Carmelo Anthony’s 17-year-old son displayed a groundbreaking performance this summer at the Nike EYBL. Just as people expected, Kiyan’s success has been beyond par for the course. Now as the efforts get rewarded, La La Anthony is letting the world know she is on cloud nine.

ESPN’s recruiting database, dated around July 31st revealed Kiyan Anthony to be #1 in the New York class of 2025. Praising the 6-foot-5 shooting guard, who is every bit deserving of the achievement, La La shared the news on her IG Stories adding shocked emojis to fill a line on the screen. “Kiyan Anthony, son of Carmelo Anthony, is the new king of New York and the top-ranked player in the class of 2025,” High Level Media Sports spread the news. 

Across all the 10 games Kiyan played, he averaged 20.3 points and 1.6 assists. Throughout the Peach Invitational, Kiyan’s phenomenal shot-making ability has been impressive. One of the games also included a 40-point game performance by the 17-year-old, leading Team Melo to victory. 

Kiyan, a high schooler at Long Island Lutheran, is set to graduate in 2025. Courtesy of his EYBL performance, paired with the NBA Top 100 camp, he has reportedly received offers from 21 colleges. The popular expectation has been his father’s alma mater, but the 17-year-old hasn’t made his pick. Instead, he shared his top six – Syracuse, Auburn, USC, Florida State, Ohio State, and Rutgers. 

“I know wherever I go, I’m just gonna go there and play my game. But my dad always tells me, ‘Don’t feel like you got to go to Syracuse because I went there. Really look into these colleges and choose where you want to go’. So, that’s what I’m really looking forward to doing,” Kiyan said via On3 Recruits.

He has paid visits to Syracuse and Florida. But a definite answer is not in sight just yet. Until then, washing off the career demands for a while, the 17-year-old is enjoying a break in Japan with his mother. But his rising popularity hasn’t stepped off his path.

La La Anthony revels in her son’s warm welcome on Japan trip

The mother and son are making the most of their trip to Japan. For La La, the most fascinating part is seeing Kiyan’s fame in a different country.

From monasteries to food, Anthony has shared heaps of pictures on her Instagram story. But one moment was an especially proud one for the mother. The story included one of Kiyan’s wholesome interactions with a young fan. “He’s loved in Japan,” Anthony wrote in her IG story with tear-eyed emoji. Kiyan is now at over 800k followers on Instagram and La La couldn’t be more excited. “He’s got almost a million followers!” she had exclaimed earlier this year. 

She reveals to have been cautious of his fame, guiding him through the negatives. “It’s kind of hard for him to navigate the city when people are like, ‘Hey, let’s take a picture!'” she said via PEOPLE. Now, with her by his side, the very moment has turned out to be a memorable one in Japan.

Thankfully so, considering the two are having a joyous time, trying delicacies and practicing katana training. Fortunately for fans, they won’t have to wait much longer, as the 17-year-old has promised to announce his college destination soon.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.”