Carmelo Anthony’s son Kiyan Anthony names ACC school that “stood out” for him

By Aman Sharma

Modified Jul 26, 2024 11:45 GMT

Kiyan Anthony, a top-50 recruit and son of NBA star Carmelo Anthony, has narrowed his list of potential colleges to six: Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State, Rutgers, Syracuse and USC. Standing at 6-foot-5 and playing for Long Island Lutheran (NY), Anthony is one of the top shooting guards in the 2025 class.

Anthony has garnered offers from numerous prestigious programs, including Arizona State, Indiana, West Virginia, UCF, Maryland, Dayton, Pitt, Illinois, Seton Hall and Providence. However, his current focus is on his six finalists. So far, he has taken official visits to Syracuse and Florida State, with plans to revisit Syracuse.

During his visit to Florida State, Kiyan was particularly impressed.

“I really liked their campus and how together they are there,” he shared with On3. “I feel like everyone on campus knows each other. Definitely, the football program stood out to me. I didn’t know all of their equipment and everything was so advanced. They have great facilities, I liked the locker room."

Kiyan Anthony ranks as the No. 31 player nationally, the No. 5 shooting guard in the country and the No. 1 player in New York for the Class of 2025 on the 247Sports Composite. His scoring prowess was displayed at Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League, where he posted an impressive 40 points.

While all six schools present viable options, Syracuse holds a special place due to Carmelo Anthony's legacy there. Kiyan Anthony noted:

“Syracuse has a young core on the team now. I learned a lot about the coaches and their vision. They’re very together, I mean they’re still trying to figure everything out...When I speak with the coaches, they let me know the vision. The type of players they’re recruiting and who all they think will be around. I liked all the stuff I heard from them.”

Kiyan Anthony eyes top colleges amid impressive performances

Kiyan Anthony — No. 31 in the On3 2025 Industry Rankings — is making significant strides in his basketball career. Kiyan values good coaching and a winning culture.

“I’m looking for good coaching, and I want to play for a good team,” he said. “I want to win. I feel like all the schools that I am talking to have a winning culture. I’ll want to go somewhere that is family-oriented too."

Among his choices, Ohio State and Auburn have also cut. Kiyan appreciated Ohio State's interest, saying:

“I know it’s a new building program with coach (Jake) Diebler over there. They were the first coaches in the gym to come see me today so that shows that they’re really interested in me. I really like that so they’re really high on my list. I’m looking forward to taking a visit after Peach.”

Kiyan Anthony's recent performances have been impressive. He averaged 28.5 points at the NBPA Top 100 Camp in June and 21.8 points in eight games at the PIT in July, including a standout 40-point game against Mac Irvin Fire.