Class of 2025 recruit Kiyan Anthony commits to Syracuse basketball

The son of SU legend Carmelo Anthony makes his commitment official

Kiyan Anthony, son of Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony, has committed to the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball program. He selected Syracuse over USC, announcing on his father’s “7pm in Brooklyn” show.

Anthony, a 6-foot-5 forward, is ranked No. 30 in class by On3 and No. 36 by ESPN. Anthony will finish his senior year of high school basketball with Long Island Lutheran as the top ranked player in the state. He played for his father’s namesake in AAU, Team Melo.

In a July interview with Zagsblog, Anthony said of Syracuse, “I just like the atmosphere, you know, obviously my dad went there 20 something years ago, so I just like the atmosphere, I like the family environment. The coaches, I feel like they’re recruiting me for myself, and not just because of my father. That’s what I like. I just feel like they’re rebuilding, and they’re looking to get a winning team. I feel like I can help them do that if I was to go there.”

Syracuse had long been the favorite to land Anthony. The Orange was the first Power Four program to offer him a scholarship, extending an offer in November 2022. Anthony took an official visit to the program in October 2023. He had an in-home visit with the Syracuse staff on Sept. 4. Syracuse assistant Brendan Straugh was his lead recruiter.

Kiyan will join a program with its practice facility named after his father — the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center. Carmelo’s $3 million gift helped kickstart construction on the building which opened in the fall of 2009. He’ll join a list of father-son duos who have both played at Syracuse. Jim, Jimmy and Buddy Boeheim all played at Syracuse, with both sons playing for father in 2020-21. Leo and Andy Rautins both played at Syracuse.

The NCAA will allow men’s basketball programs to carry 15 scholarship players starting in the 2025-26 season, an increase from 13.

Syracuse now has four commitments in the 2025 class. The Orange secured a commitment from 6-foot-8 forward Sadiq White back in May. Ranked No. 15 in the class by ESPN, White will spend his final year of high school basketball at IMG Academy. Syracuse also has commitments from a pair of three-star prospects in Aaron Womack and Australian point guard Luke Fennell.