Kiyan Anthony is stepping out of his dad's shadow -- and into his own spotlight - ESPN

Kiyan Anthony has never had a typical life. He grew up fist-bumping LeBron James and Kevin Durant in NBA locker rooms, he texts Hollywood star Michael B. Jordan to talk ball and he calls Kim Kardashian his "aunt." It takes a lot to make the 18-year-old college freshman starstruck. But at an event full of Hollywood A-listers, he was left speechless when music icons Jay-Z and Beyoncé were just across the room. "In the locker room with my dad at the NBA All-Star Game, seeing the best players in the world, I thought that was normal," Kiyan told ESPN. "My mom had me in a different world." When you grow up in the center of two celebrities' spotlights -- Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony is Kiyan's father; actress, producer and bestselling-author La La Anthony his mother -- you're used to attention. But the nature of that attention intensifies when you choose to play for the same university where your dad became a legend. For much of his life, Kiyan lived with the expectation that he would one day follow in his father's footsteps. Having led Syracuse to its only men's national basketball title in 2003, Carmelo left behind massive shoes to fill -- his jersey hanging in the rafters next to a practice facility named after him. That legacy is both a boost and a burden for his son, whose 1 million-plus Instagram followers made Kiyan a unique four-star high school recruit. His commitment seemed like the anointing of a prince. But as Kiyan finally steps into his own spotlight, he is determined to chase his own dreams -- and prove that he's more than his father's son. "When they talk about me, I just want them to talk about my development and how I keep getting better," he said. "And how I could rise to the top." It's almost eerie when you watch the videos side by side. Early in his famous 33-point torching of Texas in the 2003 Final Four, Carmelo drove through the lane, took a bump from an opposing player, maintained his balance as the ball left his fingertips, and fell to the floor. In a game against Drexel this November, Kiyan dribbled left, rose into the air, drew contact, then kept floating before he scored and stumbled to the floor. At the end of both plays, father and son looked up from the ground to witness the beauty of their handiwork -- then got back up, seemingly ready for more. "I learned almost everything from him, so it just makes the game so much easier," said Kiyan, who shares his father's love for the midrange game. "It just makes it easier knowing what to do." You can clearly see similarities between them on film. You can also see their differences. Carmelo was listed at 6-foot-8, 220 pounds when he led the Orange to the title. He averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds that season and made 48% of his 3-point attempts during the NCAA tournament...

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