Carmelo Anthony Talks Kiyan, Hall of Fame, and Knicks’ Title Hopes on ‘The Tonight Show’
Carmelo Anthony made a guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon Thursday night, and while the conversation was light and playful, it offered some meaningful insight into where the Syracuse legend’s heart is these days - with his son Kiyan, his Hall of Fame journey, and a Knicks team that’s starting to look like a real contender.
Anthony, who’s never been shy about his love for Syracuse, had just returned from a visit to campus. His son, Kiyan Anthony, is in the early stages of his own Orange career, and Carmelo made it clear he’s proud of the decision his son made.
“I just came back, I was up in Syracuse yesterday,” he told Fallon. “He made the right choice. ... He’s doing his thing, man.”
And he is. Kiyan has stepped into the college game with confidence, currently sitting second on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game.
The efficiency isn’t quite there yet - he’s shooting 42.7% from the field and just 25% from deep - but that’s part of the learning curve. The talent is obvious, and the trust from the coaching staff is already there.
For a freshman, that’s a strong foundation to build on.
Of course, when your dad is Carmelo Anthony - the guy who delivered one of the most iconic one-and-done seasons in college basketball history - the comparisons are inevitable. Back in 2003, Melo led Syracuse to its first and only national championship, etching his name into the program’s lore forever. Now, he’s watching the next generation carve out his own path in the same jersey.
That legacy was officially cemented in September when Anthony was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. On Fallon, he reflected on what that moment meant - not just for him, but for the kid who grew up idolizing the very players who welcomed him into basketball’s most exclusive club.
“For me, it was just looking over in the room, outside of my family being able to see the legends that I grew up watching,” Anthony said. “They’re over there and they’re clapping.
They give you that look. There’s a different look that a basketball player gives you - and that means, ‘you’re valid.’
So I got validated.”
It’s the kind of moment that goes beyond stats or accolades. It’s peer recognition at the highest level, and for Anthony - a 10-time All-Star, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and 11th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list - it was a full-circle moment.
The conversation didn’t stop at family or legacy. Anthony also touched on his roots in Baltimore, where a public library now features an exhibit dedicated to his life and career. It’s a nod to the impact he’s had beyond the hardwood - a reminder of how far he’s come, and how much he still gives back.
And then, as any true New Yorker would, he shifted to the Knicks - the team he once carried and still roots for passionately. Right now, the Knicks are sitting second in the East behind Detroit and fresh off winning the NBA Cup, the league’s new in-season tournament. Melo likes what he sees.
“I honestly believe that the Knicks have a legitimate shot at the NBA championship - at least getting there,” he said. “And then they’ll have to compete, I think, with [Oklahoma City]. What we’re seeing is they’re building, they’re growing, they’re getting more comfortable with each other.”
It’s a sentiment Knicks fans haven’t heard from someone with Melo’s credibility in a long time. And while the NBA Cup has sparked plenty of debate about its significance, Anthony is firmly in the camp that says: appreciate it.
“I know a lot of people talk about the in-season tournament cup and should they raise a banner,” he said. “I think you have to appreciate this moment.
Let’s appreciate all the wins that we come across because years from now, this in-season tournament will be major. It’ll be a major part of the NBA.”
Anthony, now working as a studio host for NBC as the network returns to NBA coverage for the first time since 2002, is embracing this next chapter. From Hall of Fame honors to fatherhood to broadcasting, he’s still very much part of the basketball world - only now, he’s doing it from a new seat.
But whether he’s breaking down Knicks playoff hopes or watching his son grow into his own Orange legacy, one thing’s clear: Carmelo Anthony’s basketball story is still being written.