The Syracuse alum went on 'Pat McAfee Show' on Wednesday to talk about the NBA Finals and much more.
Speaking on Wednesday's edition of the 'Pat McAfee Show' on ESPN, former Syracuse basketball star and Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony gave his takes on the NBA Finals, LeBron James and more. But he also gave a small glimpse into how he's helping his son Kiyan Anthony grow in his career. Kiyan is headed into his sophomore year after an uneven freshman campaign in Central New York.
Appearing in 29 games for the Orange, who went 15-17 overall, Kiyan averaged eight points per game. He had some excellent highlights and some excellent moments, but saw his minutes decrease as conference play went on.
When asked by McAfee if he could still play a little bit or if he was just passing the game on now, the 42-year-old Carmelo had this to say:
"We're passing the game on verbally. We're passing the game on, but also as far asallowing my son to just go and just take what I've done and built and just instill that into him and what he's doing today and what he's trying to get better at. But, to answer your question, Pat, I can still shoot the ball, I can still dribble, I can still get out there and boogie if I really had to, but I don't have to no more. It's good being a fan right now."
Carmelo was seen sitting courtside at several SU games last season and he figures to be a regular presence again in 2026-27. The difference now is that Kiyan is being coached by Gerry McNamara, who Carmelo played with during his lone season at Syracuse (2002-03). The duo won the national title together. Adrian Autry was fired in March after three seasons.
Hall of Fame member Carmelo Anthony looks on during overtime of the game between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Rich Barnes-Imagn ImagesTo Carmelo's point, he does seem to be someone who is invested in helping his son - without being overbearing. We've seen Carmelo help his son's development on the floor, but he doesn't get in the way of what Syracuse is doing, and he doesn't get in the way of the coaching staff.
Could Carmelo play in the TBT?
After some recent comments from the "Boeheim's Army" general manager, we speculated that it could be possible for Carmelo to play in the "TBT" tournament that happens this July and August, but based upon his comments to McAfee about enjoying being a fan, that doesn't seem real likely.
Carmelo is currently serving as an NBA broadcaster on Peacock and NBC, though he's draw some questionable reviews to this point in the role.
As for Syracuse
The Orange appear to have finished their roster building for this season and several non-conference matchups have been reported. The full schedule will come out this summer.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Remember to join our SYRACUSE on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Orange fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!
