You don’t catch the WNBA fever. The WNBA fever catches you! And that’s exactly what NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony’s son, Kiyan Anthony, must be experiencing right now. As the 17-year-old, who’s currently awaiting his college basketball career, made an important stop at WNBA’s darling, Angel Reese’s show, the duo had a lot to discuss, ranging from balancing a degree and an NCAA career, to exploring which college awaits him. However, what perked WNBA fans’ ears was Kiyan’s supposed preference for the New York Liberty—which we’re sure his dad will be disappointed over. But more on that later, as…

In the latest episode of the Unapologetically Angel podcast, Reese asked the Long Island Lutheran star if he watches the WNBA. Kiyan appeared a bit caught off guard as he answered yes, prompting Reese to tease him, saying, “It’s okay if you just started watching; you can lie!” Kiyan later admitted, “Just started last year. Just, just started.” 

When asked to share his favorite players, the 17-year-old didn’t hesitate, though. “Sabrina [Ionescu]” he quickly answered, before adding, “Angel Reese, Diana Taurasi. Those are my favorite.” And in typical Angel Reese fashion, the 22-year-old was hilariously excited to hear her name in the list. “Okay, that’s what I was waiting for,” the LSU graduate animatedly said. But the barrage of questions was far from over, as she quickly followed it up with another.

“Were you happy that the New York Liberty won?” the host asked, referring to the team’s October 1 clash vs the Las Vegas Aces at the Barclays Center of Brooklyn, New York City, which the latter lost 88-84. “Lit, it was lit. It was fire,” Anthony said, followed by another thought-provoking question: “What more would you want to see from the WNBA?”

“Well for the Liberty, they used to play like in a Convention Center…My pops used to go and I never wanted to go because it was just dead. Like it was probably like a thousand people in a Convention Center. It felt like a high school game, then I think the new owner took over and then they moved to the Barclays Center and now it’s lit. Feels like an NBA game,” Kiyan said. For the unversed: The team moved to the Brooklyn-based venue from the Westchester County Center (with a 2,100 capacity) from the 2020 WNBA season after Alibaba Group’s chairperson Joe Tsai bought the team in 2019. And as Kiyan pointed out, the relocation gave the franchise a new lease of life. Since moving, home game attendance numbers soared 152% year-over-year, with the team now boasting nine times the number of season ticket holders compared to their days in White Plains. But if you ask Carmelo Anthony, he’s far from impressed…

For the former Los Angeles Lakers player, there’s only superstar in the WNBA. “

F**k her (Caitlin Clark)…We f**king love her (Caitlin Clark), we love her, we want her,” the veteran said during a 7PM in Brooklyn podcast appearance on June 19, before adding, “I think she’s targeted in a way that is competitive targeting. It’s like, ‘Oh, I’m going to smoke her, I’m going to bust her’…All these girls in this league know Caitlin Clark is sh**. They know she’s part of the newfound energy in women’s basketball.”  It’s not new that the former Los Angeles Lakers player has shown his solidarity to the WNBA. Remember when the New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, and Phoenix Mercury players faced the WNBA’s wrath after they wore black warm up shirts in the wake of shooting by and against police officers.

Each team was fined $5,000, as was each player, which didn’t sit well with Anthony.

“I don’t see why there would be a reason for those ladies to get fined. Everybody has freedom of speech. This is a platform right now where everyone is affected and everyone shows their frustrations in different ways. And I don’t even think it was frustration on their behalf,” he had said, talking about the matter.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 06: Kiyan Anthony attends a NBA 2K24 Launch Event on September 06, 2023 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for NBA 2K24 )

Having said that, in the same episode with Angel Reese, Kiyan Anthony also dropped a subtle hint about what could play a crucial role in his upcoming college decision.

College dilemma and crucial factors that could play a role

Kiyan Anthony knows that everyone is eagerly waiting to hear if he’ll choose Syracuse, especially since it’s his father’s alma mater. However, he’s making it clear that he hasn’t made a commitment just yet. “Even though I know basically the whole world wants me to go to Syracuse, I still haven’t made the decision yet,” he shared earlier. As he weighs his options, Kiyan has narrowed it down to three top contenders: USC, Auburn, and Syracuse.

Now, Anthony’s guest appearance on Angel Reese’s podcast brought to light another important factor that could significantly influence his decision-making process.

“Just like what coaches been on me the latest and where I could go in right away. And you know, see growth, and where I could develop my game, and just try to win like whatever the coaches tell me. Like they can see me playing where my role is, all of that goes into, like, you know, where I choose. So I still got a couple weeks to decide, but it’s getting close… It’s no pressure but I feel it, though. I can hear it. I can hear everybody talk about it. Everybody talking, everybody wants to know where Kiyan going,” Anthony stated.

As Anthony named Sabrina Ionescu as his favorite player, he had also surprised many by picking Paul George as his top NBA choice earlier. He’s also had the opportunity to train and attend drills with George, whose influence might play a role in Anthony’s college decision. He mentioned he plans to finalize his choice in the next couple of weeks, and the excitement surrounding his announcement is palpable.

In fact, now Kiyan Anthony also knows that a sister-like figure Angel Reese will also be attending one of his games next year as he embarks on this new chapter in college basketball.