Carmelo Anthony's son Kiyan Anthony announces return for the first time after Syracuse signing

Only one year separates Kiyan Anthony and the start of his freshman season at Syracuse University. Until then, his senior year of high school awaits, as he revealed when he will make his debut.

On Thursday, Anthony told SportsCenter Next that he’ll play on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET when Long Island Lutheran plays Veritas Academy on ESPN+.

He is coming off a junior season where he averaged 10.3 points, 2.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals per contest. He shot 57.4% from inside the arc, 29.2% from 3-point range and 77.8% from the free-throw line, paving the way for a senior season where a lot of eyes will be on him to close out his high school career.

Carmelo looks forward to passing son Kiyan Anthony the torch

As the son of NBA and Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony, Kiyan Anthony has big shoes to fill when he enrolls at Syracuse. He joins the program where his father won a national championship in 2003 before being drafted by the Denver Nuggets that year.

Carmelo reflected on that moment following Kiyan's signing with Syracuse, saying his son will continue the legacy he built while carving out his own path.

"My story has always been more than basketball," Anthony said. "My legacy, my son, it's in you. I will forever continue through you because the time has come for you to carry this torch. Chase your dreams, let nothing hold you back. ... My legacy now and forever, lives on through you. I will always be proud of all that you do."

Kiyan Anthony is regarded as a consensus four-star prospect by recruiting outlets. According to 247Sports, he is the best player in the state of New York while being sixth among shooting guards and 33rd nationally in the Class of 2025.

"Anthony is a skilled, smooth scorer and high-volume shot-taker and maker. He plays with an aggressive scoring mentality and is constantly hunting buckets," 247Sports' Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein said.

"He’s had the ultimate green light, particularly in the EYBL, and so he has a tendency to settle for tough shots at times (38% FG, 29% 3pt in EYBL), but there are few players in high school basketball better equipped to make shots with such high degrees of difficultly."

Syracuse has a 7-8 record this season, getting its first win in Atlantic Coast Conference play after beating Georgia Tech on Tuesday. Even if the Orange don't achieve much this year, they will have a lot to look forward to when Kiyan Anthony takes his first step on the court as the Orange begin the 2025-26 campaign.