Syracuse basketball is slowly but surely re-capturing the eyes of the college basketball world, primarily due to the promising play of Kiyan Anthony, the son of NBA legend Carmelo Anthony. After a 15-point debut off the bench to begin his college career, Anthony joined the Syracuse starting lineup against Delaware State on Saturday and dominated with 19 points.
Kiyan Anthony Joins Starting Lineup For Syracuse Basketball
Last Saturday, Kiyan Anthony made a strong start to his college career and scored an efficient 15 points off the bench. The performance drew praise from not only his NBA father, Carmelo Anthony, but also LeBron James. It was a good first step for the young Anthony. Leading up to Syracuse’s second game against Delaware State, coach Adrian Autry gave Kiyan the news that he would be starting that morning. With the team’s top guard JJ Starling injured, the freshman was given the trust to run with the starters.
One pregame nap in the locker room later, Anthony was warming up on the court with a different mentality. Partnering with transfer point guard Nait George, Kiyan took advantage of the promotion to score 19 points on 8-11 shooting. He knocked down two three-pointers as well. Adding 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and more solid defense, it was another great overall performance from a player labeled as “just a scorer.”
Kiyan Anthony in his first college start:
19 PTS | 8-11 FG | 4 AST | 2-4 3PT | 3 REB pic.twitter.com/vOv1LO67J0
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 8, 2025
Anthony was well aware that as a starter, the impetuous is on him to set the tone for the rest of the team and help the entire team settle into the game. Coach Autry spoke on exactly that postgame, saying he felt Anthony delivered on that front.
“I thought Kiyan really set the tone in the first half on the offensive end by just getting to the basket and making some places.”
Kiyan Anthony Focused On Improving After First College Start
Although it was a great day for Kiyan, during his postgame interview, he was more focused on the little things he wants to improve. He explicitly mentioned going 1-4 from the free throw line as “unacceptable” and promised to be better.
🎥 @kiyananthony after scoring 19 in his first career start pic.twitter.com/CbPb4qsIq5
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) November 8, 2025
Although he has averaged 17 points per game so far, the two opponents were Binghamton and Delaware State. The competition is about to grow much stiffer for Syracuse. Following next weekend’s game against Monmouth, Syracuse has #2 Houston and #19 Kansas on the schedule as part of the Player’s Era Championship Tournament in Las Vegas.
Anthony will not only be challenged by a Houston defense that is notoriously tough, but also by another top freshman in the country in Kansas forward Darryn Peterson. Anthony played with Peterson in high school at the Jordan Brand Classic, a showcase game in which Anthony received MVP honors.
Las Vegas will be a true litmus test for Syracuse to see if they are ready to become a team deserving of the national spotlight, and also to assess if Kiyan truly is one of the most exciting freshman in college basketball.
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