November 18, 2024 witnessed a significant moment as Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony and LaLa Anthony, announced his decision to attend Syracuse University. Photographed by Tomas Herold, this event holds great importance for the Anthony family and the world of college basketball.

Kiyan Anthony's Path to Syracuse University

Connection to Syracuse and Personal Aspirations

Kiyan Anthony emphasizes that while his father's connection to Syracuse was a part of his decision, it was mainly about finding a place where he could fit in and grow as his own player. "I feel like a part of it was obviously the connection that my dad went there, but mostly just how they could see me fitting in there and recruiting me for myself and not just who he was. He did big things there, but I'm my own player and I'm trying to do bigger things when it comes to basketball." This shows his determination to make his mark independently.The coaching staff's acceptance and the campus's embrace have also played a crucial role. "They're ready for me to come in there and play. I feel like I made a good choice and I'm happy that the coaching staff has accepted me and the campus as a whole has accepted me."

Recruiting Process and Decision-making

The recruiting process started when Kiyan was a sophomore, and it took over two years. "They've been recruiting me since my sophomore year, so for a little bit over two years." After considering multiple options like USC, he finally decided on Syracuse. "I came to the decision not too long ago actually, like a month. It was hard narrowing down to six and then to three and ultimately to two, between Syracuse and USC. USC was my most recent visit. It was a really good visit, but ultimately [after] long talks with my parents and weighing the pros and cons of each situation, Syracuse was the best fit for me."

Meeting Coach Adrian Autry and the New York Connection

Kiyan met Coach Adrian Autry early on and was impressed by his character. "I always tell people I feel like Coach Autry is a guy that you could go out on Friday night with and just chill. He's definitely a cool guy. You could go into his office whenever, talk to him about stuff other than basketball, whether it's school, girls, whatever you want to talk about. He's also a friend, but he's a head coach. He ready to discipline you. He's ready to make you better."The New York connection was also significant. "It was a lot of talks about New York basketball and different parks and what park I was going to play at and where he played at, but obviously times are different. He's a little bit older than me, so there was talks about New York for sure."

High School Basketball and Preparation

Playing in the Catholic League for two years prepared Kiyan well. "Playing in the Catholic League for those two years definitely helped me. It showed me what New York basketball really was, the packed gyms, everybody coming to see one player perform. If you don't perform in New York, people are going to have an automatic opinion on how you are."After transferring to Long Island Lutheran High School for more exposure, he brought that New York spirit with him. "I feel like I brought that New York dog with me, so I feel like that helped me a lot."

Proud Moments and Lessons Learned

Kiyan is most proud of his hard work and perseverance. "I'm just most proud of staying down and working. Some people had it from the beginning. They were number one, they were number two, number three from the beginning. But I just kept working, I stayed down. I didn't talk to a lot of people, and now I'm ultimately one of those gods, so I feel like all of that hard work, those sleepless nights, going to the gym after practice, early mornings, all of that is starting to pay off. But it's still not done. It's just the beginning."He also believes in living without regrets. "My dad always told me, 'Just live with no regrets.' So whatever happened is meant to be, it's all in god's hands. and I feel like he helped me. My dad helped me just come to this decision and be where I'm at today. If it wasn't for him, I don't know where I would be, to be honest."

Significance of Red Hook and the NIL Era

Kiyan's announcement in Red Hook on his father's podcast stage holds special meaning. "One of his main goals when making a podcast was to come back to Red Hook and get back to the community. So me being from Brooklyn and living with my mom, it's not too far of a commute. It's all coming together and it's all part of the blueprint. My dad has a plan for me and I've just got to stick to it."Regarding the NIL era, he understands its importance but focuses on the game itself. "Yeah, for sure. Definitely. But that's not the main goal. The main goal is just to go out there, play basketball, go hoop, and try to win."