Cole Anthony reflected on his early basketball journey, explaining he was born in Portland, Oregon, while his father, Greg Anthony, was with the Trail Blazers. “I was in New York by the time I was two years old,” he said in an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, highlighting the city’s influence on his development.
Anthony described his first real exposure to New York basketball culture at Dyckman Park in middle school. “We were playing in an ‘unlimited’ division… I was so scared in there. I didn’t play well, but that was probably the first time I felt like I was really ‘outside’ and embracing that culture,” he said.
He credited New York point guards as major inspirations. “Sebastian Telfair, for sure. And Kemba Walker. Kemba would probably be my favorite; I’m a big Kemba believer and have a lot of respect for him. Obviously, I’ve got love for Kenny Smith and Kenny Anderson,” Anthony said.
Despite growing up around the NBA through his father, Anthony emphasized independence in his path. “Pops gave me a lot of room to carve my own path… It allowed me to put my own team together,” he said, adding that he still maintains connections with youth in the city.
Anthony shared his changing loyalties as a fan. “I was a Knicks fan for the longest time. But then I saw them get blasted by the Pistons by about 40 points, and I just stopped being a fan… I became a huge KD fan,” he explained, referencing his early admiration for Kevin Durant and the OKC Thunder.
Regarding his second-generation experience, Anthony reflected on the advantages it provides. “I call us ‘network babies.’ It gave me a head start having someone who’s been through the whole process… Having someone who lived out every dream I had and played in the league for 11 years is an advantage,” he said.
Anthony also noted the competitive nature of facing his hometown teams. “I try to tap back in with the kids in the city today. We are the Mecca of basketball… whenever we see the Knicks, it’s smoke. It’s real smoke,” he said, underscoring the intensity of professional matchups.
Currently with the Milwaukee Bucks, Anthony has appeared in 33 games this season, averaging 6.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 15.2 minutes per game.
