Kiyan Anthony, the son of NBA Legend Carmelo Anthony, will announce his college decision on Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET, with fans eagerly anticipating his choice. He has narrowed his options to Syracuse basketball and USC basketball programs.
Anthony’s college decision will be streamed live on YouTube via Carmelo’s “7PM in Brooklyn” channel. Carmelo Anthony, his father, played one season at Syracuse, leading the team to a national championship and earning the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player award before declaring for the 2003 NBA draft.
Kiyan Anthony Choosing Syracuse over USC
While Syracuse basketball has extended an offer and Kiyan has visited, this doesn’t guarantee he’ll follow in his father’s footsteps to the school. He has yet to announce his decision, but Syracuse is one of two teams he has narrowed his options to, with the announcement coming ahead.
Some may argue that Syracuse isn’t the best option for Kiyan, considering he’ll be training in a facility named after his father, Carmelo Anthony, and the coach who led the men’s basketball team to its only national championship.
The younger Anthony can use that exceptional facility to enhance his skills while creating his own identity and legacy at Syracuse. With the same intensity shown in his highlights, he will be remembered as Kiyan, not just as Melo’s son.
Kiyan, a 6’4″ shooting guard, is ranked 6th in the nation at his position for the 2025 class according to 247Sports.
Kiyan Anthony’s different mentality according to Carmelo Anthony
As a high school senior, Kiyan is already capable of shooting from the outside and driving to the basket. He can also make passes to open teammates or set up alley-oops. It’s important to remember that he is still young, with plenty of potential to improve and grow even further.
Carmelo Anthony has expressed that he prefers Kiyan, not to follow the “one-and-done” path to the NBA. He has highlighted the significance of Kiyan prioritizing his growth and development rather than rushing his entry into the professional ranks.
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When asked about the biggest differences between himself and his son, former NBA star Carmelo Anthony responded:
“Majority of it [is from me]. I think my game back then at 16 was a little more physical. I just had a different type of mentality because of how I was growing up and my upbringing and what I was around in my environment, so my ‘why’ was a lot different,” the NBA legend said, via Overtime on X (formerly Twitter).
“[Kiyan] has skills that I didn’t have. His court vision at this level is very high. His shot-making ability is high. And I think people look at him for being able to make shots and take away from his actual playmaking and IQ of the game,” he continued.
The 17-year-old is widely regarded as New York’s top high school basketball prospect, according to several recruiting sites. On3 ranks him 30th among next year’s college-bound players and estimates a 93.7% chance he’ll choose Syracuse. Meanwhile, 247Sports lists him at No. 34, and ESPN ranks him at No. 36.
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