Kiyan Anthony, the Syracuse basketball 2025 signee from New York City, is a freshman to watch for the upcoming 2025-26 season, according to a national writer.
The 6-foot-5 Anthony, the son of 'Cuse legend and recent Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Carmelo Anthony, is a four-star shooting guard and part of the Orange's four-member 2025 class that is No. 10 nationwide at the prep level, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
Recently, Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports published an article where he listed eight freshmen to monitor in 2025-26. Most of those included are top-10 national prospects in the senior cycle, but Salerno also included Kiyan Anthony, who last month crushed it at the annual Jordan Brand Classic in Washington D.C.
Jordan Brand Classic⭐️🏀📊
— Legit Sport Stats (@LegitSportStats) April 19, 2025
Team Air wins the Jordan Brand Classic!
Syracuse commit Kiyan Anthony named MVP after dropping 26 pts on 11-15 shooting from the field & 3-5 from deep.
BYU commit AJ Dybantsa led Team Flight with 25 pts & 9 reb.
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Salerno, in his article, wrote: "It's unlikely the younger Anthony will replicate the success his father had during one of the greatest one-and-done seasons in college basketball history. Still, the 6-foot-5 guard should have a chance to impact winning for a program that has fallen on tough times in recent years. ... The Orange have missed the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons. This could be a make-or-break year for coach Adrian Autry. Anthony is a skilled shotmaker capable of being a primary option on offense. His upcoming season at Syracuse will be one to monitor."
Syracuse basketball, on paper, has a strong 2025 class among high school seniors.
I'll be curious to see how much court time Anthony receives in head coach Adrian Autry's rotation for 2025-26. On the one hand, Anthony is a significant threat from beyond the arc, and if the 'Cuse wants to have a legit shot at making the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Syracuse basketball likely will have to shoot better from deep than it did in 2024-25.
On the other other, the Orange's 2025-26 roster, currently at 12 scholarship players after Cincinnati freshman small forward Tyler Betsey recently committed to the 'Cuse, does include a sizable amount of guards and wing players.
Anthony, as a senior, had a solid term for Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., which finished the 2024-25 stanza as a top-10 national team, according to multiple national media outlets.
By the way, the primary recruiting services have, of late, unveiled their final 2025 rankings. Here's where Anthony resides:
247Sports Composite: No. 33 overall, No. 7 at shooting guard and No. 1 in New York
On3 Industry Ranking: No 33 overall, No. 11 at shooting guard and No. 1 in New York
247Sports: No. 32 overall, No. 7 at shooting guard and No. 1 in New York
ESPN: No. 35 overall, No. 8 at shooting guard and No. 1 in New York
On3: No. 29 overall, No. 10 at shooting guard and No. 1 in New York