Syracuse basketball 4-star, 5-star recruits score national player of year watch list
By Neil Adler
High school prospects with Syracuse basketball ties reside on a national player of the year watch list as the 2024-25 season kicks into high gear.
Not too long ago, 50 high school players were named to the watch list for this season's Naismith Trophy national player of the year. On this list are two Orange commits, a key target, and numerous former 'Cuse recruits.
From a Syracuse basketball recruiting perspective, the headliners are 2025 four-star shooting guard and top-30 national prospect Kiyan Anthony, 2025 five-star forward and top-15 national prospect Sadiq White Jr., and 2026 five-star shooting guard and top-10 national prospect Jordan Smith Jr.
Syracuse basketball recruits are in the running for national player of the year.
The 6-foot-5 Anthony, a senior at Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., committed to the 'Cuse last week over Southern California. He is the son of Syracuse basketball legend Carmelo Anthony.
In late May, the 6-foot-8 White pledged to the Orange over Alabama, Southern California, Georgetown, LSU, Tennessee and Texas. White is a senior at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
Kiyan Anthony and White have officially signed with Syracuse basketball in its national top-10 class in the 2025 cycle, per SU Athletics. Joining them are four-star guard Luke Fennell from Melbourne, Australia, and three-star wing Aaron Womack from the Milwaukee area.
The 6-foot-3 Smith, who holds a 'Cuse scholarship offer and unofficially visited the Hill in late September, is an All-American junior at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va. The Orange staff is prioritizing Smith in the 2026 class.
Another key target for the 'Cuse in the 2026 cycle is five-star guard/small forward and top-15 national prospect Alex Constanza, who also boasts an Orange offer. The 6-foot-8 Constanza, who officially visited Syracuse basketball about a month ago, is an All-American junior at the Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Candidly, I was quite surprised that Constanza wasn't on the Naismith Trophy national player of the year watch list. Currently, the Orange is a front-runner for Constanza, who is considering a possible move to the 2025 class, his dad has told me.
Former Syracuse basketball recruiting targets who made the cut for this 50-person watch list include Shon Abaev, Darius Adams (UConn), Niko Bundalo, Chris Cenac Jr., Jerry Easter II, London Jemison (Alabama), Acaden Lewis (Kentucky), Malachi Moreno (Kentucky), Darryn Peterson (Kansas) and Keyshuan Tillery (Cincinnati).
dark. Next. Syracuse basketball coaches put in the work for 4-star Kiyan Anthony. It paid off.. Syracuse basketball coaches put in the work for 4-star Kiyan Anthony. It paid off.