Carmelo Anthony and Kiyan Anthony (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Kiyan Anthony, son of the former NBA star Carmelo Anthony, is making a name for himself as one of the top shooting guards in the class of 2025. As he heads into his final year of high school, Kiyan is already drawing significant attention from fans and analysts.

Recently, the 17-year-old partnered with Overtime to launch The Kiyan Anthony Show. During his appearance, Kiyan addressed the focus he’s been receiving. But he claimed that his success is not solely due to his famous father.

“I feel I’m more under the microscope than ever just because of the way I’ve been playing, showcasing my talents on the floor. People are starting to realize it’s more than being somebody’s son; he actually got talent. So once people realize that, it attracts a crowd,” Kiyan said.

Kiyan is currently ranked as the No. 5 shooting guard and the No. 1 player in New York for the 2025 class. His impressive performance on the court earned him recognition beyond just being Carmelo’s son. In the Overtime video, Carmelo Anthony himself proudly spoke about his son’s achievements.

“The fans are starting to see, OK, he’s coming to his own. That’s the most important part,” the former NBA star said.

Kiyan Anthony Discusses His Close Relationship with Bryce James

In his basketball journey, Kiyan Anthony has met LeBron James’ younger son, Bryce James, as his opponent. In the season opener of “The Kiyan Anthony Show,”  Kiyan opened up about his relationship with Bryce. He also touched on the connection between their fathers.

“We basically grew up together, even though he lived in LA. I really like his family; I see him like my cousin. My pops and his pops played together on the Lakers. It was a little different situation because they weren’t rivals; they were really best friends. But the media always made it seem like they got something against each other,” he said.

Inspired by Bronny James’ draft pick, Kiyan Anthony is working hard to establish his own legacy. Let’s see if he can make a name like Bronny by claiming a spot in the upcoming NBA draft.

Houston Texans star Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his illegal hit to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the ensuing brawl between the teams in a lengthy statement on social media.  

Al-Shaair’s statement comes as his three-game suspension as a result of the incident has ended and he is slated to return to the field for the Texans on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

On December 1, an Al-Shaair hit to the head of a sliding and defenseless Lawrence caused chaos in Jacksonville. The defensive back needed to be restrained by several coaches and Lawrence has not played since taking the barbaric contact.

‘While so many jumped at the first opportunity to hop on the false narrative – that l’m a dirty player or bad person – the messages from all who stood by me were the only things keeping me mentally afloat during a time of isolation,’ Al-Shaair said on social media.

‘I’ve learned so much from this entire experience. Seeing myself on video – letting my emotions get the best of me to the point where I completely lost it – was an embarrassing and eye-opening moment for me.’

‘I’ve had to earn everything in my life. I never want to allow anyone to get me to a point where I jeopardize everything that I’ve worked all my life to obtain. That was not the way I want to represent myself or my family and I will continue to learn and grow from that moment.’

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Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence

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The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence

Al-Shaair said during his three-game ban, he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives for the first time, taking issue with how he was characterized in the official announcement of his suspension.

The defender said he thought his character and integrity were ‘unjustifiably smeared’ in the release but the meeting with Goodell and others was ‘productive’ and gave him hope it would not happen again.

‘In that conversation – man-to-man – I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless and, in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield,’ Al-Shaair continued.

‘I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field.’

Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence was not the only controversial incident he was involved in this season.

During the Texans’ game against the Bears in September, he punched Roschon Johnson, who wasn’t even in the game at the time of another sideline confrontation.

Al-Shaair ended his statement by saying his view is that everyone in the league office and on the field are on the same team to represent the NFL in the best nature possible, something he failed to do earlier this month.

‘Lastly, I’ll say that this world is full of negative people who can’t wait to tear you down, but if you move with love and compassion, the seeds of good you planted in others’ lives can grow into the very tree that shades you with comfort and compassion when you need it most,’ Al-Shaair concluded.

‘I am a man of God, I am a leader, a warrior and a lover. I am also a hell of a football player and I’m grateful to be back doing what I love.’