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In photos: Carmelo Anthony's ex La La continues son Kiyan Anthony's Syracuse commitment celebrations with a wholesome family post

Modified Nov 22, 2024 11:27 GMT

Kiyan Anthony declared his commitment to the Syracuse Orange last week, but his mother, La La Anthony, is still in a celebratory mood. The actress shared photos of several friends and family members celebrating the high school senior's commitment on Instagram on Thursday.

"La Familia," she captioned the post.

Kiyan announced his commitment on Nov. 15 on his father, Carmelo Anthony's, “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast.

He had narrowed his options to two programs out of the 21 offers he received. USC was the other program in his final two alongside his eventual choice Syracuse.

In October, his shortlist included Auburn, but the Tigers did not make his final cut.

La La said neither she nor Carmelo pressured Kiyan into choosing Syracuse.

"We stepped back and allowed him to make a decision and told him whatever he decided we would support," she said on the podcast. "Contrary to what people probably think, there was zero pressure from his dad to go to Syracuse."

What does Kiyan Anthony's commitment to Syracuse mean?

Kiyan Anthony's decision is significant for several reasons, one being that as New York's No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class, he committed in-state. Secondly, and more importantly, he has a legacy connecting him to the program. His father was at Syracuse in the early 2000s, winning the 2003 national championship with the Orange.

Carmelo highlighted the level of expectations on his son's shoulders.

“As a father, this is a special moment," he said at the commitment party. "You’ve got a chance to put the school, the community, and New York back to where it’s supposed to be.”

Kiyan, who is no stranger to the pressure of expectations, expressed an understanding of the situation.

“I’m not going in with any type of intention other than to win," he said. "I’m just going there, trying to win with my teammates, with my other freshmen, whoever’s there next year. Just trying to be a good teammate, trying to win… bring back what Syracuse University is supposed to be like.”

Syracuse has hit a rough patch, missing out on the NCAA tournament four times in the last five years. The program has not featured in the national rankings since 2018.

With Adrian Autry at the helm since 2023, however, there have been improvements. The Orange secured 20 wins in the 2023-24 season, finishing with an 11-9 record in the ACC.

However, with the arrival of Kiyan Anthony, there are expectations for the program to return to its old glory. Two other four-star prospects, Sadiq White Jr. and Luke Fennel, will join Kiyan at Syracuse, boosting the Orange’s chances.