Perhaps it was a given that Kiyan Anthony, the son of former NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony and television personality LaLa Anthony, would attend Syracuse University in the fall. A cynic might consider Kiyan’s decision to play for his father’s alma mater, announced on Friday Night, as another nepotistic power move. Surely, there is a legacy to be protected, but Kiyan has always been allowed to grow at his own pace and forge his own experiences. (A fun bit that the Anthony family has is when Kiyan talks about how his favorite NBA player is Sixers star Paul George, not his six-time All-NBA father). The last four years the 17-year-old spent playing elite-level high school basketball in New York were just practice; Syracuse, and playing NCAA ball in the Atlantic Coast Conference against heavyweights like Duke and UNC, is a step up for a young kid with his own aspirations.
“I’m my own player and I want to do even bigger things,” Anthony told me at his party in Red Hook at a secluded warehouse on the shore of the New York harbor, not too far from the Statue of Liberty, where his father records his podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn with comedian The Kid Mero. He announced the decision on the pre-recorded podcast episode, then spoke at the party in front of his friends and his father’s friends, such as Rudy Gay and rapper A Boogie wit da Hoodie. He seemed relaxed and excited, nonchalant and earnest, confident but without hubris. After announcing the decision, the prodigy talked to me about how he came to it, his father’s legacy, New York basketball, and much more.
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JAYSON BUFORD: Obviously, people are going to talk about the connection that your father has to Syracuse. But what was it that made you want to play college ball there?
KIYAN ANTHONY: 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. So 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. They’re ready for me to come in there and play.
BUFORD: How long did they recruit you for?
ANTHONY: They’ve been recruiting me since my sophomore year, so for a little bit over two years.
BUFORD: And when did you come to the decision?
ANTHONY: 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.
BUFORD: Was it hard keeping it your decision to yourself?
ANTHONY: It was definitely hard keeping it to myself. People asking me, “Yo, where you going?” I just got to be like, “I don’t know.” But deep down, obviously I know where I’m going. I had to go on a USC visit. I still wasn’t really sure if I was fully into Syracuse until after the USC visit. Sat down with my parents, had a long talk, and ultimately this was the decision.
BUFORD: What’s the connection that you felt with Coach [Adrian] Autry?
ANTHONY: Yeah, I feel like he’s young. This is only his second year, so he’s going in there trying to rebuild Syracuse [back] to what everybody knows Syracuse basketball should be. And I feel like me, along with the other freshman that’s coming in, [can] help bring it back to the top. That’s the final goal.
BUFORD: When did you first meet him and what is it about his character that made you want to play for him?
ANTHONY: 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. So I feel like that was the connection me and him had.
BUFORD: I know he’s from Harlem as well. Was there a New York connection too?
ANTHONY: Yeah. 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.
BUFORD: How did playing in the Catholic League help you get ready for the next level?
ANTHONY: 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. And then when I transferred [to Long Island Lutheran High School] for more exposure, I feel like I brought that New York dog with me, so I feel like that helped me a lot.
BUFORD: What are the aspects of your high school run that you’re most proud of?
ANTHONY: 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.
BUFORD: Is there anything that you wish you could change?
ANTHONY: No. 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.
BUFORD: Your father was born in Red Hook. You’ve announced your decision in Red Hook on his podcast stage. Why was that significant to you?
ANTHONY: 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.
BUFORD: There’s a difference between this era of college basketball and your father’s. The NIL has ushered in a new wave of student-athletes. Do you have any plans to capitalize on that?
ANTHONY: 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.
BUFORD: It’s a fact. Good luck to you, big dog.
ANTHONY: Appreciate you.