Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony and a top-40 recruit in the class of 2025, announced Friday that he is following in his father’s footsteps and committing to Syracuse.

Anthony made the announcement during his father’s “7PM in Brooklyn” show.

The Orange was chosen from a final list that also included USC and Auburn. Syracuse had long been the favorite, but Anthony made a legitimate recruiting effort, taking 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 family. My dad’s name on the facility is special, but I want to go there and create my own name, and I already have done through my offseason dedication, with early morning practices, playing in camps and playing on the track.”

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

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

Carmelo Anthony was a 10-time NBA All-Star, scored more than 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 Dutch team 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 middle 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 father. I trusted his words, created a routine and started turning into my own player. The biggest difference between me and my father is that he is a complete bully , he can score on you at will.

Anthony is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard ranked No. 36 in the ESPN 100 out of Long Island Lutheran and 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 productive during 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 performance against Mac Irvin Fire when he shot 15-for-19. from the field and 5-for-6 from 3.

“I need to improve my efficiency, not take 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 as I 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 ready for the challenge of covering the other team’s perimeter players.”

“Kiyan was a joy to coach,” Long Island Lutheran coach John Buck said. “He works hard, is eager to learn and has developed into a strong leader here at LuHi. His talent for scoring the ball is undeniable, but he has also shown great progress defensively. I am proud of his performance.” grow and know that his best basketball is still ahead of him.”

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

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