Syracuse basketball fans, including myself, are excited to find out where Kiyan Anthony will play in college.
The 6-foot-5 Anthony, a 2025 four-star shooting guard and top-30 national talent from New York City, is the son of Syracuse great Carmelo Anthony, who led the Orange to their only national championship in 2003.
Some Syracuse basketball fans, unsurprisingly, believe that Kiyan Anthony will eventually wear the Orange uniform. I’m not in that group, but I believe the ‘Cuse is a strong competitor for him.
Recently, Syracuse basketball has earned some expert hype regarding Anthony on numerous recruiting websites. The Orange coaching staff is certainly emphasizing Anthony, as they watched at least two of his AAU games last month during an NCAA live time.
Anthony, who had received over 20 offers during his recruiting, was offered a scholarship by the ‘Cuse in November 2022. In late October of last year, he made an official visit to the Hill. He has also formally visited Florida State, and according to recent media reports, he intends to make other school visits in the future months, including a possible return trip to the Orange.
A top expert weighs in on Syracuse basketball and 2025 four-star SG Kiyan Anthony.
ANot long ago, On3 national reporter Joe Tipton, who is incredibly knowledgeable about high school basketball and recruiting, joined Brian Higgins for an interview on Cuse Sports Talk. They addressed a variety of issues, including Anthony.
Tipton told Higgins that Anthony is considering official trips to Auburn, Ohio State, and Indiana in September, as he had stated on his X page on June 3. The Hoosiers have been pursuing Anthony for some time; Auburn and Ohio State are more recent suitors.
Despite the fact that others are pursuing him, Tipton said he continues to “firmly believe” that Syracuse basketball is now the leader in Anthony’s recruiting.
This spring, Anthony has been a notable performer for the 17U squad of Baltimore-based Team Melo in Nike’s EYBL league. Last month, the EYBL hosted a session in Indianapolis during the spring’s first live assessment period, allowing college coaches to meet with recruiting prospects in person.
As previously stated, Orange head coach Adrian Autry attended at least two of Team Melo’s games in Indianapolis, according to reports.
On the first night of this session, which also marked the first time this spring that coaches could see high school prospects in person at AAU events, Tipton noted that Autry was Anthony’s lone head coach in attendance.
Other head coaches and assistants observed Anthony throughout the Indianapolis session, but Tipton believes it was telling that Autry was the only head coach who was “front and center” for Anthony on the first evening of this initial spring live period.
Tipton says it would be fantastic for Syracuse basketball fans and the program to have Anthony play on the Hill more than two decades after his father won an NCAA title in Central New York. To that end, Tipton believes it would be “incredibly disappointing” for Syracuse fans and the Orange coaching staff if Anthony went elsewhere.
Tipton echoed the sentiments of many other national experts and scouts, who have praised Anthony’s improved and expanding all-around game. Anthony demonstrated to experts on the AAU circuit this spring that he can score with prowess and knock shots from long range.
However, he is also playing with more confidence, becoming stronger, and demonstrating the ability to generate scoring opportunities for himself off the ball.
To that end, Tipton believes Anthony, a rising senior at the powerhouse Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., is a prospect for whom the ‘Cuse must win, as landing Anthony would be a “huge statement play” for Autry early in his Syracuse basketball coaching tenure.
I completely agree with Joe on the last point. During his conversation with Higgins, Tipton also discussed several other 2025 prospects, including recent Orange five-star recruit Sadiq White Jr. and four-star priority targets Tyler Jackson and London Jemison. I highly encourage listening to Tipton’s whole interview with Higgins.
