Kiyan Anthony led Syracuse to open the season with a phenomenal 85-47 win over visiting Binghamton on Monday night. It marked his Syracuse debut, as the 18-year-old was called into action early after guard JJ Starling exited less than three minutes into the game with an injury. Anthony’s impressive performance also earned him a nod from the Los Angeles Lakers forward, LeBron James.
Kiyan Anthony Catches LeBron James and Michael B. Jordan’s Attention With His Syracuse Debut
In Monday’s game, Anthony proved his versatility across the court, finishing with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, along with three rebounds, three assists, and zero turnovers in 29 minutes of play.
“Yessir nephew @kiyananthony,” James posted on his Instagram story following Anthony’s magnificent Syracuse debut.
Jordan also shared a report of Anthony showing out on his Instagram story and said, “Yessir” with a salute emoji.
Kiyan is the son of 10-time NBA All-Star and former Syracuse standout Carmelo Anthony. Carmelo and LeBron James have shared a long-standing friendship that dates back to their high school days, with both entering the 2003 NBA Draft as top prospects.
Throughout their NBA careers, Carmelo and James continued their brotherhood, as James supported Carmelo when he was a free agent. Earlier this year, Carmelo was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and he even jokingly told James to join him in retirement.
Jordan, meanwhile, has been a long-term fan of the 18-year-old. Back in August, a video post comparing Kiyan’s on-court skills with Carmelo’s earned a two-word reaction from the Hollywood star: “Straight bucket.” The actor was also among those who reacted to Kiyan putting on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame jacket on Carmelo in September.
Kiyan Anthony Credits Carmelo Anthony for Shaping His Game
Kiyan is on the way to shine in the court like Carmelo. Before making his official college debut, Kiyan spent about an hour on the phone with his dad. Carmelo couldn’t be in attendance due to his new role as an NBA analyst for NBC’s coverage.
“He definitely watched it,” Kiyan said following the game. “He was definitely watching through the screen.’’
Carmelo reminisced with Kiyan about leading Syracuse to the 2003 National Championship and reminded his son to approach Monday’s contest like any other game. Kiyan was also vocal about how much his father’s influence shaped his play.
“It’s something I work on, you know,” Kiyan said after recreating Carmelo’s stepback jumper on his debut. “Credit to my dad of course. That was his shot and he passed it down on to me and we worked on that almost every day in the gym. I work on it at practice, so it was a shot I felt confident was going in.”
Kiyan committed to Syracuse in November 2024, choosing the Orange over USC and Auburn. His father’s legacy played a big role in the decision, but he said his choice was also heavily influenced by his strong connection with head coach Adrian Autry and the trust he built with the coaching staff.