Kiyan Anthony, the No. 1 recruit in New York and one of the top prospects in the class of 2025, recently shared his deep admiration for being able to work with Chris Brickley. The popular trainer has worked with some of the top names in the NBA and college basketball like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd.
In the Sept. 14 episode of "Evolution" by Overtime, the son of NBA veteran Carmelo Anthony was all praise for Brickley.
"Chris Brickley, obviously, he's one of the best if not the best trainers in the world," Anthony said. "Having a blessing to come work out with him whenever I want is really taking advantage of that because you know a lot of people don't get to work out with the best trainers or anything like that."
"Every time he comes in the gym, he's literally, he's taller, he's more skilled," Brickley said, who has worked with Anthony since he was in the fifth grade. "I have some videos where he was like, [in] 2012 and he was like six, doing these cones at Terminal 23."
Brickley was the player development coordinator for the New York Knicks from 2013-17 after serving as an intern there. Anthony played in New York from 2011-17.
He has over two million followers on Instagram. His clientele includes actors and rappers, all seeking gym time. He is not just a coach though, as he shared what makes him different (via NBA.com):
“I think it’s a lead-by-example thing," Brickley said. "(The lessons apply to your) mindset after practice, attitude after bad games, film study, in-season work ethic and a ton of off-court life decisions."
Chris Brickley believes the future could belong to Kiyan Anthony
It is not the first time Brickley has heaped praise on the budding basketball star. Last month, he shared a clip on social media of Kiyan Anthony playing.
Brickley took note of his dribbling, ballhandling and 3-point shooting skills, captioning the post:
"Sharpening your skills never stops & improvement happens when you push beyond your comfort zone. Kiyan Anthony continues to improve. The future is ALL YOURS bro. Just keep your foot on the pedal."
Anthony averaged 21.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the 2024 Nike Peach Jam tournament. In a game against Mac Irvin Fire, he dropped 40 points.
He has received offers from 21 schools across the nation, but Anthony has trimmed the list to six programs: his father's alma mater, Syracuse; Auburn, Florida, Ohio State, Rutgers and USC.
Where do you think Kiyan Anthony will choose to play his college ball? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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