After nine years of living apart, Carmelo and La Anthony have finally reached a divorce settlement, bringing their 16-year marriage to the doorstep of a legal conclusion.
TMZ first broke the news of the settlement, which awaits a judge’s signature in the New York County Supreme Court to make them officially single, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
From a 2003 Introduction to a New York Wedding
Their story began long before the court filings, viral memes, and tabloids tracked their split. According to Vogue, the pair first met in 2003 through mutual friend DJ Clue, just as Carmelo was planting his flag as an NBA star and La was building her career in radio and television.
Carmelo proposed on Christmas Day in 2004, and the couple married in July 2010 in a lavish New York City ceremony documented for VH1’s “La’s Full Court Wedding.”
The guest list for that 2010 celebration read like a cross-section of American culture and sports royalty. LeBron James, Spike Lee, Serena Williams, Ciara, Kim Kardashian, and Ludacris watched the couple tie the knot, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. They spent seven years married before the cracks began to show publicly.
Seven Years of Marriage and the First Separation
The marriage hit its first major public hurdle in April 2017, when the couple separated amid reports of marital difficulties and rumors of infidelity, Page Six reported. Months after that initial split, Carmelo welcomed a daughter, Genesis, with Mia Angel Burks, changing the family's dynamics.
By 2018, the couple attempted a reconciliation, with both expressing a desire to rebuild their family. That renewed effort proved short-lived. Separate living arrangements followed, though they continued to show up for their son, Kiyan Anthony. One particularly telling co-parenting moment came during a Knicks game when La held up her phone so Kiyan could watch his father play—an image that quickly turned into a viral internet meme.
The 2021 Filing and Life After the Split
The COVID-19 lockdown brought the family back under one roof temporarily, sparking fresh rumors of a reconciliation that never materialized. On June 17, 2021, La officially filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, according to TMZ and the Los Angeles Times.
In a 2022 appearance on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast, La opened up about the emotional toll of the split and the pressure that accompanied Carmelo’s 2011 trade from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks.
“I learned how strong I am,” she said on the podcast, reflecting on the lessons of the divorce. “You just find yourself getting stronger and stronger. What do they say? Like you don’t know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.”
Following Carmelo’s retirement from the NBA in 2023, the two have focused on raising Kiyan. Now a 19-year-old sophomore playing college basketball at Syracuse University, Kiyan remains the focal point of their shared history. La even made the conscious decision to keep the Anthony name for her son’s sake.
Both Parties Move on to New Lives
Both figures have since moved on to new chapters. Carmelo was spotted in Saint-Tropez with Racquel Smith, the widow of former NFL defensive end Will Smith, in June. Meanwhile, La revealed on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” in October that she is open to dating again, entering what she described as her “season of being open” for someone confident and adventurous.
While financial terms of the November 2026 settlement remain confidential, the legal chapter that began two decades ago is nearly closed. As soon as the New York County Supreme Court judge grants the final sign-off, two of entertainment and basketball’s most visible figures will officially cross the finish line.
