Key Takeaways
- LaLa Anthony recalled anxiety over Carmelo Anthony’s alleged infidelity in a resurfaced 2022 Call Her Daddy interview, saying, “I never slept.”
- Anthony said she confronted the cheating rather than turning a blind eye, and ultimately prioritized protecting herself and providing stability for their son, Kiyan.
- The couple married in 2010, separated in 2017, and reconciled before Anthony filed for divorce in 2021, though she credited their continued commitment to co-parenting.
LaLa Anthony says being married to NBA star Carmelo Anthony came with plenty of sleepless nights, and it wasn't because of his basketball schedule. The actress opened up about the anxiety she experienced during their marriage in a resurfaced Call Her Daddy interview from 2022, which host Alex Cooper reposted on October 30.
During the conversation, Cooper recalled believing that becoming an athlete's official girlfriend would eliminate the anxiety of wondering what he was doing on the road.
Anthony quickly shut down that idea. "I never slept," she said, explaining that committing to the relationship only made her more anxious. "I almost got more stressed once we committed because I felt like, oh my God, now everyone's coming for me."
Anthony said she became so accustomed to worrying about Carmelo's whereabouts that she started associating certain NBA road trips with potential trouble.
Miami was an obvious concern, but she eventually learned that quieter destinations weren't necessarily safer. "Be careful with these other cities that you think don't have as much going on," she warned, recalling instances when she discovered another woman was involved. "All of a sudden you're like, 'Oh no, there's a whole ass girlfriend there.'"
The former MTV personality also rejected the idea that NBA wives were expected to quietly tolerate their husbands' behavior. Asked whether there was an unspoken culture of ignoring infidelity, Anthony said she refused to participate.
"I never turned a blind eye to it. I addressed it, and ultimately that was part of the reason why I could no longer be in the relationship anymore," she said.
She added that protecting herself and maintaining stability for their son, Kiyan, became her priorities.
Anthony and Carmelo married in 2010 after years together and became one of basketball's most recognizable couples. They separated in 2017, reconciled, and Anthony ultimately filed for divorce in 2021.
She told Cooper that their move from Denver to New York, following Carmelo's trade to the Knicks, intensified the pressure surrounding their relationship. Still, she acknowledged that their marriage wasn't entirely unhappy and credited their shared commitment to co-parenting Kiyan.
"They at least know my lifestyle, how I have to work," she said, while acknowledging that understanding someone's career doesn't guarantee a successful relationship.
