Kiyan Anthony, son of NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, is getting ready to begin his freshman year at Syracuse University in the fall. He’s already headed to college, and his mom, La La Anthony, is adjusting to becoming an empty nester. The 43-year-old actress was on a live with her only son when she revealed she’s cried every day since he left for college.
“I’ve been so sad because Kiyan is not in the house anymore. He’s in Syracuse, I cry every single day y’all. Every single day I cry,” the Think Like a Man actress said.
The 18-year-old asked his mom why she was crying. “Because I miss my best friend, what are you talking about? You’re my best friend,” she replied.
La La is loud about her love for Kiyan and has said in the past that he’s her best friend. In February 2024, La La told ESSENCE that she was having difficulty coming to terms with Kiyan heading to college.
“I’m having a hard time with that. I’m going to be honest with you,” she says. “I try not to think about it even though I know it’s there. Kiyan and I spend an incredible amount of time together. I always say my son is my best friend. We do a lot together. But I just think about what it will be like when he goes to college and how it will be different. And I understand now that when parents go through that, it is a tough transition. So I’m just trying to get all the time I can now and just preparing myself.”
While the TV personality is adjusting to her new normal, Kiyan is excited to embark on this new journey. In June, the 18-year-old told PEOPLE that his mom was already “crying every day,” but he was trying to spend copious amounts of time with her before he left.
However, he expressed excitement about attending the same university where his father kick-started his basketball journey.
“It means a lot. It means everything,” he told PEOPLE. “That was a huge part of my decision to go to Syracuse, so him being over there twenty-something years ago and then me coming, trying to follow his footsteps, definitely means a lot, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes with it.”
The good news is La La has a solid relationship with her bestie and can still maintain a loving relationship from a distance.