Alani Nicole “La La” Anthony (née Vázquez) and Carmelo Anthony’s relationship has hit the rocks, making it one of the most tumultuous celebrity romance journeys ever.
This couple has shocked fans all over the world by constantly making headlines for infidelity accusations alongside breakups, feuds, and makeups. Even positive milestones, like their son’s birth in 2007 and their 2010 wedding, couldn’t save the relationship.
Carmelo Anthony and La La Anthony tied the knot in 2010 after seven years of dating but divorced in 2021 after 11 years of marriage (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)
Couples can soon see the cracks in their dreamy, fairy-tale romances even after solid starts. So, who are La La and Carmelo Anthony, how are they famous, and how has their relationship developed?
La La and Carmelo Anthony: Who They Are and Their Rise to Fame
Before exploring the depths of this couple’s relationship, it might be worth noting how they rose to fame.
Alani Nicole Anthony, better known as ‘La La,’ is a Puerto Rican-American best-selling author, producer, businesswoman, TV personality, and actress. She rose to fame in the early 2000s as an MTV VJ on Total Request Live, which marked the height of her career.
La La Anthony is a New York Times best-selling author, businesswoman, producer, and actress best known for her work as an MTV VJ on Total Request Live (Credit: lev radin / Shutterstock)
Her American husband, Carmelo Kyam Anthony, is famous for his professional basketball career. He plays for the National Basketball Association’s Los Angeles Lakers and has been named an NBA All-Star 10 times and an All-NBA Team member six times.
Carmelo Anthony is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA (Credit: lev radin / Shutterstock)
Melo represented the U.S. national team in four Olympic Games, earning a bronze medal in 2004 and capturing gold in 2008, 2012, and Rio 2016. By April 2016, he became the U.S. Olympic team’s all-time leader in rebounds, points, and games played.
Carmelo Anthony played in the Olympics for the US national team a record four times (Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock)
How La La and Carmelo Anthony Met: A 2003 Love Story
La La and Melo reportedly met in 2003 through a mutual friend. La La mentioned that she was hosting an MTV show with DJ Clue when he introduced her to Carmelo. They initially started as friends, but their relationship soon blossomed into romance.
La La and Carmelo Anthony first met in 2003 through their mutual friend DJ Clue (Credit: La La Anthony’s Instagram)
At the time, both these Brooklyn-born lovers had risen ambitiously with fresh, early success, making it no surprise that Melo could fly out to meet La La in Long Beach, California, for their first date.
Since La La was filming for MTV then, the couple had dinner at her hotel and spent the evening together. The date went so well that their friendship quickly blossomed into something more.
Key Moments in La La and Carmelo Anthony’s Relationship Timeline
Melo Proposes: A Christmas Engagement in 2004
Since both Melo and La La were struck with how well things were going, it didn’t take long for them to get engaged on 2004’s Christmas Day. However, the marriage didn’t come until much later.
Welcoming Their Son: Kiyan Carmelo Anthony’s Birth in 2007
Before the wedding bells started to ring, La La and Melo welcomed their new son, Kiyan Carmelo Anthony, into the world on 7 March 2007. The couple was overjoyed with their new arrival, finally creating a little family for themselves.
La La Anthony stuns in a sparkling black gown with a thigh-high slit while attending an event with her son, Kiyan Carmelo Anthony, who looks sharp in a powder blue suit (Credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock)
Finally Married: La La and Melo’s 2010 Wedding
In 2010, the couple finally tied the knot after a long six-year engagement, during which they agreed to take their time setting the date.
With Melo being just 19 years old at the start of the engagement, it’s no surprise that the wedding day took so long to arrive. Born in 1984, he is two years younger than his wife. Measuring 6′ 7″ (201 cm), he’s also much taller than La La, who is just 5′ 6″ (168 cm) tall.
La La and Carmelo Anthony share a loving moment during their magical 2010 wedding (Credit: @lala / Instagram)
La La even admitted that she’d stopped thinking about it, which may have been due to the arrival of their son. The luxurious ceremony took place at Cipriani on 42nd Street in New York, the magical location being incredibly fitting for such a magical day.
Professional Success: Melo’s NBA Career Takes Off
With his personal life rocketing, Melo’s career looked promising, too. He arrived in New York in 2011 and is often considered one of the NBA’s thriving young players.
As a top scorer from Denver, he appeared to be just the trade the Knicks had been looking for to lift themselves up.
2012: A Year of Scandal and Rumors
In 2012, Melo was accused of infidelity when a 19-year-old woman announced she had had a 2-month relationship with him since he’d messaged her on Twitter.
This certainly put a strain on Melo and La La’s relationship, especially as this struggle was thrust into the public eye.
Kevin Garnett Feud and Cheating Rumors in 2013
In 2013, more rumors started to fly. It’s said that Kevin Garnett, a former NBA player, told Melo during one of their basketball games that La La “tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios.”
This shocking feud spiraled rumors of marital issues between Melo and La La, potentially causing them to live apart for two whole months.
La La Anthony allegedly cheated on Carmelo Anthony with former NBA player Kevin Garnett (Credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock)
Struggles on the Court: Melo’s Career and Relationship Tensions
Being in the public eye in such a toxic way may have affected Melo’s performance on the court. After helping the Knicks obtain a winning season in his first year signed with them, things quickly went downhill.
Scoring a 5-year contract with this team in 2014, this year’s season was a disaster, to say the least, with the team even gaining 65 losses in one singular season.
With such a failure weighing down on Melo at this time, this career strain may well have put a strain on his relationship with La La, with underperformances leading to negativity and frustration.
The Knicks hadn’t reached the playoffs since the spectacular 2012-13 season, and Melo was subject to criticism and trading possibilities despite his contract having a no-trade clause.
Infidelity Allegations Resurface: La La Linked to Rapper Maino
A year after Melo’s career struggles, La La was accused of unfaithfulness in 2015. She was believed to be cheating with rapper Maino when a woman claiming to be this rapper’s girlfriend left furious comments on La La’s Instagram page.
La La was accused of infidelity and was reportedly cheating with rapper Maino in 2015 (Credit: @mainohustlehard / Instagram)
To kill these disturbing rumors, the couple made their mark on social media by rapping the tune ‘All Eyes On You’ by Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj for audiences around the world.
2017 Separation: A Relationship Under Pressure
The rumors and accusations appeared to be too much of a burden for this famous couple when they split up in April 2017. Melo was once again accused of cheating when it was said that a New York gentleman’s club dancer was pregnant with his child.
While later sources claimed that the woman was not pregnant with his child, Melo and La La’s relationship – like the Knicks’ court performance – had still deteriorated.
La La Anthony opened up about the factors that contributed to the end of her marriage with Carmelo Anthony during an episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast in October 2022. She revealed that Carmelo’s 2011 trade from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks marked the beginning of their relationship’s downfall.
Moving to New York brought increased media scrutiny and added pressure, which complicated their marriage. Although La La enjoyed the more relaxed lifestyle in Denver, she felt the need to grind harder in New York, eventually focusing on her career.
Despite the challenges, La La reflected positively on their relationship, noting that they had great times together and share a wonderful son, Kiyan. The couple officially divorced in 2021 after being on and off since 2017.
“We had some great times. We have a beautiful son, Kiyan, who’s amazing,” she said. “It wasn’t all bad. We had great, great times. It ended bad, but we’re still friends and we co-parent great…. Life is just about lessons and going through different phases, and that was a phase in my life, a chapter in my life. And now, that chapter’s over but it’s never really over when you have a kid with somebody.”
In August 2024, La La Anthony revealed at Fanatics Fest in New York City that she’s keeping her last name for the sake of her son, Kiyan, as he prepares for a future NBA career. She shared her excitement about seeing his NBA jersey with their shared last name, which is why she hasn’t changed it after her divorce from Carmelo Anthony.
Final Thoughts
Although La La and Carmelo Anthony’s relationship began like a fairy tale, it didn’t have the same kind of ending. Their unraveling romance highlights how rumors, accusations, and a lack of trust can ultimately destroy even the strongest marriages.
Not being able to cope with having a shaky romance in the public eye, the world watched this couple move from wobble to wobble until it climaxed with its final collapse.
Gabrielle Union as Kristen Kern, Meagan Good as Mya, Regina Hall as Candace Hall, Taraji P. Henson as Lauren Harris, and La La Anthony as Sonia wearing bikinis in the 2014 American romantic comedy film Think Like a Man Too (Credit: Will Packer Productions / Screen Gems)
The couple has experienced several breakups and reconciliations over the years, but it seems the final breaking point has finally arrived. While some believe their marriage could still be salvaged, this time, it appears that Melo and La La have reached their limit.
La La Anthony’s Bold Fashion Moment at the 2016 Premiere of The Girlfriend Experience
La La Anthony has never been afraid to take fashion risks, thus the outfit she wore in March 2016 on the black carpet at the New York City premiere of “The Girlfriend Experience” was no surprise.
La La Anthony curls her hair for the New York premiere of “The Girlfriend Experience” on March 30, 2016 (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
The then-36-year-old radio and TV personality arrived at The Paris Theater in a taupe cold-shoulder knit top and a white mini skirt with lattice fringed overlay by Dion Lee.
La La Anthony wears a cold shoulder knit top with a white Dion Lee skirt (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
The “Think Like a Man” star kept her look neutral by accessorizing with a white fabric choker and white leather pumps.
La La Anthony looks sultry in a neutral-colored shoulder-revealing ensemble (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
She completed the look by styling her hair in a loose updo, wearing matte nude lipstick, and smokey eyeshadow.
La La Anthony’s feet and foot tattoo in white pumps (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
La La’s white pumps have pointed toes and perhaps about four-inch heels. Similar styles are available at Zappos and Nordstrom.
White Manolo Blahnik “BB” Pumps, $595
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