Carmelo Anthony had his children by his side as he was officially inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday.
During his speech, Anthony reflected on his career but said his biggest pride comes from being a father.
“To my children, Kiyan and Genesis: your father isn’t perfect, but he is proof. Proof that struggle doesn’t mean surrender, proof that the road can be rough and still lead to glory.,” he said.
Anthony welcomed Genesis in 2017 with former girlfriend Mia Burks, while still married to Kiyan’s mom, La La Anthony. The former couple later divorced in 2021.
While the basketball legend has often spoken about his son Kiyan, now 19, Saturday marked the first time he mentioned Genesis, 7, by name in a public speech.
The ten-time All-Star previously shared a photo of her during his 2023 retirement announcement and celebrated her seventh birthday with a Knicks-themed party in 2024, but he had never directly acknowledged her until now.
Anthony also used the moment to deliver an emotional message about fatherhood and redemption.
He continued, “To every Father, and this is important, to every man listening: you are more than your mistakes. You are more than what this world has to reduce you to, being present, being real, being vulnerable. That’s strength.”
“Raising children in this world is revolutionary. I didn’t just want to be a basketball player. I wanted to be a model of redemption, of accountability, of love. My kids saved me. They gave me a reason to move past ego, past noise, past criticism. They reminded me that legacy isn’t what you leave behind, it’s what you lift up,” he said.
The night was also special for Kiyan, who presented his dad with his Hall of Fame jacket. The teen is now beginning his own basketball career at Syracuse University, the same program where Carmelo won an NCAA championship in 2003 before starting his NBA journey.