Syracuse lands Kiyan Anthony, son of legend Carmelo Anthony

Kiyan Anthony, son of Carmelo Anthony and a top-40 recruit in the class of 2025, announced Friday that he will follow in his father's footsteps and commit to Syracuse.

Anthony made the announcement on his father's “7PM in Brooklyn” show.

The Orange were chosen from a final list that also included USC and Auburn. Syracuse had long been the favorite, but Anthony made some legitimate recruiting and took official visits to Florida State as a junior and USC two months ago.

“Ultimately, it came down to my relationship with the staff,” Anthony told ESPN. “From day one, when they started recruiting me, they made me feel like I was family. My dad's name in the facility is special, but I want to go in there and make my own name, and I've already done that through my dedication in the offseason, with morning practices, playing in camps, playing on the circuit.

While his father's connection to the school was a major factor in his recruitment, Anthony also developed his own strong relationship with coach Adrian Autry.

“I'm going to do whatever Coach Autry needs me to do,” Anthony said. “We talk a lot, especially late at night, about how we can make Syracuse basketball great. Off the court, the coach is super cool. You could hang out with him on a Friday night. He's still young and connects with all his players; he is very identifiable.”

Carmelo Anthony was a 10-time NBA All-Star, scoring over 28,000 career points and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. During his lone season at Syracuse in 2003, he led the Orange to the national championship as a freshman. , earning All-American and NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors.

For better or worse, Kiyan was compared to his father from an early age.

“The struggle was real, especially in high school and my freshman year of high school,” he said. “I didn't know what I was doing at the time, but I started listening to my dad. I trusted his words, established a routine, and started becoming my own player. The biggest difference between my dad and me is that he was a Un straight bucket, a straight hitter. He could score on you at will. I have the ability to score and I can create for others.”

Anthony, a 6-foot-5 guard ranked No. 36 in the ESPN 100 out of Long Island Lutheran, is one of the best pure scorers in the country. He averaged 19.6 points on the Nike EYBL circuit in the spring, scoring 25 or more points in four of 15 games. He was even more prolific at the Nike Peach Jam over the summer, averaging 21.8 points and shooting 37.3% from 3-point range in eight games, including a 40-point outing against the Mac Irvin Fire when he shot 15 of 19 . from the field and 5 of 6 from 3.

“I need to improve my efficiency, not do too many dribbles to get somewhere and be a better defender without the ball,” he said. “I feel like I'm improving as a defender because I get to practice against some of the best players in the country, like Kayden Mingo, Dylan Mingo and Nigel James. We play a national schedule. I'm up for the challenge of covering the other team's perimeter players.”

“Kiyan has been a pleasure to coach,” Long Island Lutheran coach John Buck said. “He is hardworking, eager to learn, and has become a strong leader here at LuHi. His gift for scoring the ball is undeniable, but he has also shown great improvement on the defensive side of the court. I am proud of his growth and knowing that his best basketball is still ahead.”

Anthony's commitment could put Syracuse in the top 10 recruiting classes nationally. Anthony joins five-star forward Sadiq White, one of high school basketball's top stars; three-star wing Aaron Womack; and Australian native Luke Fennel in Orange's incoming group.

“When I think about Syracuse basketball, I think about the 30,000 fans going crazy in the Dome,” Anthony said. “We want to bring the best to Syracuse basketball. With Sadiq White and the rest of my teammates, we will put on a show for Syracuse fans.”