You won’t be surprised to read that Carmelo Anthony got down on one knee and proposed to La La Anthony on Christmas Day back in 2004. But when six years later, those two made it official with a beautiful wedding, the media and fans couldn’t be happier. For a while, everything looked picture-perfect: a decade of marriage and a beautiful son named Kiyan. But like a lot of fairytales, the picture-perfect vibe didn’t last forever. Behind those polished smiles and public appearances, quiet cracks started creeping in. And by 2021, the couple officially called it quits. Even then, they made a promise.

The promise? Keep things steady for Kiyan, choosing to co-parent without the usual celebrity drama. Since then, fans have continued to catch them together at Kiyan’s games and events, sparking whispers about their true feelings. And now, thanks to what Carmelo just revealed, the world can’t help but wonder if La La’s presence ever truly left his world. Kiyan Anthony and his father, 10-time NBA All-Star and a soon-to-be Hall of Famer, Carmelo Anthony, recently linked up for an exclusive sit-down on Instagram’s official podcast.

The duo traded stories about everything. From their favorite fashion choices to the real reason Carmelo picked Syracuse back in the day, almost everything. Naturally, after a point, the conversation drifted toward Instagram itself. At one point, Carmelo turned to his son and asked, “What are some of your go-tos on Instagram?” Kiyan, being 18 and unapologetically Gen Z, kept it real. “All relatable stuff, like all stuff you are doing on daily basis,” he said. That answer made sense for a kid his age. But when the same question landed on Carmelo, his response raised a few eyebrows.

Because it low-key brought La La back into the conversation without even saying her name. Carmelo Anthony didn’t hold back when asked about his Instagram habits. “I’m random. I’m all over the place, from astrology to vacations, to custom mugs, to blankets, to studio equipment. It’s very, very random,” he said. Honestly, when you’re a basketball legend, a father, a businessman, and now a podcaster, “random” feels like a bit of an understatement. But then came the real gem. Carmelo casually dropped his latest Instagram search, saying, “Honestly, last search on Instagram was ‘Best Puerto Rican food in Brooklyn.’” Now, here’s where it gets interesting.

Both Carmelo and his ex-wife La La share Puerto Rican roots. Though they grew up in the mainland, they come from a Puerto Rican family lineage, so it’s safe to assume they made plenty of memories over good Puerto Rican cuisine. So, naturally, fans couldn’t help but wonder, maybe those old flavors and familiar moments haven’t completely faded from his world. But the end of their story wasn’t as neat and simple. 

A few years ago, La La Anthony peeled back the curtain on what really sent her marriage with Carmelo Anthony spiraling. A year after making their divorce official, in 2022, the 40-year-old hopped on the Call Her Daddy podcast and didn’t sugarcoat a thing. And that exclusive interview brought forth many unknown facts that forced fans to rethink their icons’ personal lives.

According to her, the real trouble started when Carmelo packed his bags for the Big Apple in 2011. With that trade came flashing cameras, nosy headlines, and a city that never minds its own business. “When we lived here (New York) under all of that, that’s when things became complicated,” she admitted. “Now that I look back, that was kind of the start of the demise of the marriage.” The nonstop attention, constant tabloid nonsense, and Melo’s crazy travel schedule turned their lives into a pressure cooker. La La even admitted those endless road games kept her up at night. “I used to think certain cities, like oh, ‘Those are the problem cities.’ Miami, I’d be like, ‘Oh, I’m definitely not sleeping tonight.’” 

It is true that in the end, their love story didn’t make it past the storm. But that’s not the case with every athlete out there. They were unfortunate. And just because a relationship hits the rocks under the spotlight doesn’t necessarily mean every athlete’s romance is doomed to crash and burn. What’s your take on this?