Syracuse Basketball: Is 4-star Kiyan Anthony a must-get for 'Cuse? Analyst says yes.

Lately, a hot-button discussion topic among Syracuse basketball fans on social media and in chat rooms has centered on 2025 four-star shooting guard Kiyan Anthony from New York City, who is the son of Orange legend Carmelo Anthony.

The 6-foot-5 Kiyan Anthony is off to a fabulous start to the AAU season this spring competing for the 17U squad of the Baltimore-based Team Melo in Nike’s EYBL league.

He's a rising high school senior, having been a key reserve off the bench in the most recent season for Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., which was a top-five national group during the 2023-24 campaign and is a member of the nation's premier high school hoops conference, the 14-team Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic (“EYBL Scholastic”).

Without question, Anthony is a priority recruit for the 'Cuse staff in the 2025 class, and that's not because of his dad's legacy on the Hill. Anthony has evolved his all-around game, experts say, and he's moved into the top 30 nationally of his cycle, per On3.

A top analyst thinks 2025 four-star SG Kiyan Anthony is a must-get for Syracuse basketball.

Now, some Syracuse basketball fans believe that it's a lock Anthony will ultimately pick the Orange. Some 'Cuse fans think that if Anthony were to head anywhere else, it would prove a bad look for the Syracuse basketball staff, given that Melo led the program to its only national championship in 2003.

Here's my take: I do believe that the Orange is a significant contender for Anthony. He's only taken two official visits, to Syracuse basketball and fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school Florida State.

Over the last year or so, media reports and interviews given by Anthony have stated that he is likely to take more official visits, with names often mentioned including Big Ten Conference schools Indiana and Michigan.

He holds a bunch of scholarship offers and just grabbed one from Arizona State, per his X page. More offers could arrive as Anthony continues to shine in grassroots basketball this spring and summer.

Anthony has stressed on numerous occasions that the chance to play for his father's alma mater is intriguing and appealing. He's also said that he's keeping his options open, which is smart on his part.

I've maintained for a while now that if Anthony decides he doesn't want to follow in his dad's footsteps, but rather carve out his legacy someplace else, I'd be bummed, I'd wish him well, and I wouldn't criticize Orange coaches one iota for "missing out" on Kiyan.

At the same time, if Anthony doesn't choose Syracuse basketball, I understand when some 'Cuse fans say that the optics of such a development wouldn't look good for the Orange staff. I get that sort of sentiment, even if I don't agree with it.

In any event, Rivals.com national analyst Rob Cassidy recently published a piece where he looked at five prospects in the 2025 class who he views as "full-on must-gets for certain programs." Guess what? Anthony is included here.

Cassidy writes: "Syracuse could use a high-profile recruiting win under head coach Adrian Autry, and opportunities don’t come much better than this one. The son of Syracuse star turned New York legend Carmelo Anthony, Kiyan Anthony is seriously considering the Orange. That said there will be nervous moments on campus as Kiyan considers options such as Florida State, Indiana and Memphis. ... There’s also a chance a late-arriving offer could shake things up, as the Syracuse legacy recruit is off to a strong start this grassroots season. Obviously, one recruiting battle won’t determine Autry’s future at the program, but losing Kiyan Anthony while having a building on campus that bears his last name would be a rough look to say the least."

Okay, so first off, Rob is a recruiting insider, and I'm not. Let's get that out of the way. One small quibble I have is that the Rivals.com expert says the Orange "could use a high-profile recruiting win" under Autry.

I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that in the 'Cuse 2024 class, it has two high school seniors, one of whom, five-star power forward Donnie Freeman from Washington, D.C., is rated as high as No. 6 around the country in his cycle.

I do agree with Cassidy that Anthony could see more big offers come in assuming he keeps playing at an ultra-high level on the EYBL circuit. What if some blue-bloods enter the mix, like a Duke, a Kentucky, a North Carolina, a Kansas or a UConn, for example?

Until Anthony schedules more official visits, I have no reason to think that the Orange isn't the favorite - or at least one of the favorites - for Anthony. It will be fascinating to watch his recruiting process play out, and I know that a lot of Syracuse basketball fans are hoping that he eventually decides to suit up in Central New York.