When Kiyan Anthony joined Syracuse as a freshman in 2024, the nostalgia of watching his father, Carmelo Anthony, took hold of many fans. And Kiyan recently announced that fans won't have to let that feeling go.

On Wednesday, Kiyan made a big announcement about the future of his collegiate career. Many were speculating whether the Syracuse No. 7 would continue his career under the program. However, Kiyan cleared all the haze regarding this issue with an Instagram post.

On April 9, he shared a modified snap featuring himself in the Syracuse colors, while the banner above his head read, “I’m back.” The snap was enough to reveal that he would be continuing his journey with Syracuse. The caption to his post read, "The Right Way."

Anthony’s decision comes a month after Syracuse fired head coach Adrian Autry. It is more notable that Anthony made his decision after the program hired Gerry McNamara as its new coach. McNamara was part of the Syracuse team with Carmelo Anthony that won the national title in 2003. 

While 2003 remains arguably the most highlighted part of McNamara’s career, he has shown that he is a high-caliber coach. He led Siena to the MAAC tournament championship and led the team to appear in the NCAA tournament.

Kiyan was a 4-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. He was also ranked 34th in the class according to 47Sports' composite rankings. Given his father’s legacy and scoring ability, Kiyan was bound to make noise.

With Carmelo’s former teammate now coaching him, Kiyan will look to boost his stock under the new coach. But, how has he done so far?

How Did Kiyan Antony Perform in His Freshman Season?

Kiyan started his freshman year on a very high note. He scored 15 or more points in three out of the first four games. However, as the season progressed, the son of the NBA legend started to fill the bench role.

In his freshman year, he averaged 8.0 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. Kiyan also shot just 39.9% from the field, including 25.4 percent from the 3-point line. He appeared in 29 of 31 Syracuse games.

In different ACC games, Anthony showed his offensive skills, scoring in double digits. With a new coach to lead him, Kiyan might see his role increased as a sophomore. A bigger role in his sophomore season can help Anthony position himself for the next year’s draft. 

While the head coach’s longstanding relationship with Melo would be good news for Kiyan, he also needs to work harder. He has to bulk up if he wants to have any chance in the NBA, and he also has to drastically improve his defense.

So, how do you think Kiyan will perform in the orange jersey in the upcoming season?

Follow Air Jordan Chronicles for more

Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Souvik Roy