One thing’s for sure, La La Anthony is a fierce mom. 15 years ago, one bad word about her then toddler triggered her. Even now, she doesn’t regret it, but now she’s treading lightly for her son’s sake too. Kiyan Anthony is on the college track with immense NBA potential. His protective mom wouldn’t want anyone to tear him down because of his parents. At the Fanatics Fest, La La kinda-sorta made peace with one team’s fans 15 years after she became a public enemy #1 in that city. If you’ve followed Carmelo Anthony’s career, you know which team that is.

The Dallas Mavericks fans didn’t play nice whenever Melo was in town. But at one game in May 2009, the camera angle made La La look like the villain. Contrary to the drama it caused then, the BMF star played it down at the Fanatics Fest x Athletes and Icons Panel: Women Transforming Sports Through Media with Livvy Dunne, Allison Kuch, and Shelley Zallis.

When host, Taylor Rooks asked each lady in turns which team’s fans they didn’t like, La La was hesitant. “I got to be careful my son is coming up in a game I got to be real careful.” Now this is two months after the NBPA Top 100 Camp for high school players when Kiyan played for the Dallas Mavericks’ and scored 42 points in a game. He’s been through the EYBL rounds this summer and is still exploring college options. But you get this mom’s sentiments.

Yet the moment La La said, “Well, you know what,” caution was thrown to the wind. “I remember I did have an incident when Melo was playing the Dallas Mavericks and I was like, I don’t know if I like this team, I don’t know if I like this place.”

She makes it sound like it was forgettable, but it hardly was. Regardless, she said, “But that was a while ago, so maybe I’ve forgiven them since then.” Forgiven, not forgotten.

When Mavs nation got on La La Anthony’s bad side

In May 2009, Carmelo Anthony was playing for the Denver Nuggets and engaged to La La Vasquez. Their son, Kiyan, was two when the Nuggets were playing against the Mavs in the 2009 Western Conference semis. At Game 3, tensions were high as Denver led 3-0 and Dallas was hosting.

Mid-game, a scuffle broke out in the stands and the cameras caught La La getting into it with spectators sitting next to her. She was escorted out of the game and cameras broadcasted her cussing at security too. She missed the Nuggets getting a 105-106 win off the back of Melo’s 31 points. Later, La La released a statement immediately, taking accountability for her actions but also slamming the people who resorted to name-calling and threats at her son. “Obviously the play-off games bring out the best and the worst in fans but what happened on Monday night with the racial slurs/threats, verbal attacks on my son and physical attacks to myself by irate fans was unacceptable. The fans were totally out of control. What the cameras captured was me defending myself and didn’t show the abuse that was taking place,” her statement read.

The bad blood between Denver and Dallas was worse during Melo’s prime. Clearly, La La felt the worst of it and those feelings linger.

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