The sports and pop culture worlds are intertwined, but La La Anthony takes it to another level. The famed actress and television personality is not only known for her roles on hit shows like "Power" and "BMF," but also has a son with Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and former Los Angeles Laker Carmelo Anthony.
Kiyan Anthony, 18, followed in his father's footsteps when he announced his commitment to play for Syracuse basketball on November 15. Carmelo won the 2003 NCAA championship with the Orange and the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award.
Meanwhile, Kiyan is ranked No. 35 in ESPN's top 100 recruit list for 2025. Barring injury, the New York native is on his way to a successful career in his own right.
However, that means La La will soon be an empty-nester, as Kiyan is her only child. She spoke to Athlon Sports on Monday about that, Kiyan's journey, and her plaque psoriasis advocacy.
Syracuse commit Kiyan Anthony.
Syracuse commit Kiyan Anthony.
© Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK
Josh Valdez: "What's it like as a mother to not only raise a successful child in Kiyan, but to also see him follow in his dad's footsteps?"
La La: "I mean, it's a great feeling. We always told him growing up to do what makes you happy, like no pressure to be a basketball player, no pressure to have to do anything like that, just follow your heart. He just happened to love basketball and, over the years, became really great at it. It's just amazing to see him follow his passion and his discipline."
La La: "He's so disciplined in it, and now he's going to Syracuse. It is a great feeling, and it's something that he wants to do. He wants to set his own path, which is amazing, and we're really, really proud of him."
Josh Valdez: "How are you mentally preparing for being an empty-nester?"
La La: "It makes me really sad, but I'm glad Syracuse is still in New York. It's a five-hour drive and a 45-minute flight, so I'll be there as much as I can. I try not to think about it too much because it does make me sad. He's my only child, so I'm gonna miss him so much. But I'm glad that he's close enough that I can get there when I need to."
Josh Valdez: "Has Kiyan ever opened up to you about hoop legends that inspired him other than his father? Maybe LeBron James or Kobe Bryant?"
La La: "Yeah, he always talks about all his favorite players, whether it's Kobe or LeBron. My son's favorite player is Paul George, and he makes no secret about it, he talks about it all the time. Obviously, his dad as well. He always talks about the greats and studies them, watches YouTube videos. You know, that's how you become great. He's a student of the game first and foremost."
Josh Valdez: What’s it like to see Kiyan do big things off the court, like going on Angel Reese’s podcast?
La La: "Yeah, I love that. I love Angel first of all, she's like family to us. But I love seeing him show his personality. People get to see how he really is; he's funny, he's a jokester. I love when he does stuff like that, because it allows people to see his personality, and he's able to just have fun."
Josh Valdez: Switching gears, I know you've been opening up to the world about your plaque psoriasis. How have you been able to manage that, especially as an entertainer who always wants to look their best on camera?
La La: "You know, for me, I manage it in different ways. It was a confidence thing to me. I never wanted it to affect my confidence, whether it's doing my hair a certain way or my makeup a certain way to cover it. I never wanted it to be a distraction, which is why I partnered with Amgen. I realized there are so many people in the world, more than six million adults, who live with plaque psoriasis. So I was like, 'If I have this, I can help someone out there and educate people about this misunderstood disease, and encourage people to find a treatment that's right for them."
"For me, I tried different prescription shampoos, and different things that I was doing every day that didn't really work with my hair, or my schedule, because I can't wash my hair every day. So I realized everyone's needs are different, and you just gotta figure out what works for you."
"So with Amgen, it's just been a great partnership. If you visit the website we created, momentswithlala.com, you get to see this fun, interactive video that I did, which really answers some questions and helps people get the confidence to talk to their doctor and find the best treatment for them."
Josh Valdez: "Why did Amgen stand out to you? Did their products work better for you personally, and do you believe that they'll do the same for others around the world?"
La La: "Yeah, I always wanna align with partners that have the same vision as me, that are on the same page. I felt like Amgen really wanted to give people the confidence and the resources to find a solution that worked for them, so that's definitely why I wanted to partner with them."
"It's been an amazing partnership, we've done incredible things, and I'm really proud of it. It's not something to be ashamed of, it's not something to be scared of, and we're really changing the narrative out there. That makes me happy."
Josh Valdez: Lastly, do you have any new projects coming up?
La La: "Yeah, so 'The Chi' is premiering May 19, which I'm excited about, and 'BMF' season four is premiering June 6, so both my shows are coming out really, really soon. That's gonna be an exciting time as well."