Since Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony, received his offer from the Orange in November, his recruitment has been covered heavily. The 2025 prospect from Long Island Lutheran is the 62nd-ranked player in his class. Of course, you’d think that getting a player of that caliber would have no downsides. However, considering the magnitude of Anthonys’ name, joining a program in which his father won the first national title may not be so simple.
You must remember that Kiyan is still a kid and that the sons of legends don’t always turn out in these high-pressure situations. The most recent to come to mind is Shareef O’Neal, son of Shaquille, who transferred to his dads alma mater LSU after two seasons at UCLA. In two seasons with the Tigers, Shareef averaged under two points a game.
Another case of the 2nd generation not panning out is the House family. After Eddie House played at Arizona State from 1997-2000 and broke the school scoring record, his son Jaelen was recruited by the Sun Devils. In the shadow of his father, Jaelen struggled mightily, averaging less than five points a game. Jaelen then transferred away from ASU and turned into a star at New Mexico State. There, out of the pressure, House was named All-Mountian West in back-to-back years and led his Lobos to the NCAA Tournament.
While there may not be the best history of sons of legends panning out at their father’s former schools, Kiyan Anthony could be the one to break the trend. While Syracuse was his first power six offer, since May 1st, Kiyans recruitment has turned up a notch, proving he wasn’t just offered by SU because of his father’s legacy.
Adrien Autry has already started off strong recruiting-wise, bringing in the 10th-best transfer class in the country this offseason, and currently holding the 10th-best 2024 class in the country. As a high-profile four-star, Kiyan would be a big get for Autry. But whether he be able to make a name for himself is the more important question.
