"Carmelo told me that he plans to be much more involved": Syracuse insider reveals what Kiyan Anthony's recruitment means for Syracuse basketball

Kiyan Anthony is a lock for Syracuse, choosing the New York school over USC. Even though he is not with the Orange yet, the four-star shooting guard wants to be more involved, as his father, Carmelo Anthony himself, told Post-Standard's Mike Waters.

During Kiyan's big announcement last week, the Syracuse insider, who was among the only two journalists, revealed how he received an invite to the athlete's announcement party held in New York City.

“I also tried to get word to Carmelo through some mutual acquaintances,” Waters told Syracuse.com. “When it was announced that Kiyan would reveal his decision on his father’s podcast, I really thought I might be out of luck. But two days before the podcast was set to air, Kiyan sent me a text and said to come down to Brooklyn to his reveal party.”

At the party, he talked to several personalities, including Carmelo Anthony himself. Waters thinks Kiyan will attract other players to Syracuse and also talked about what he talked to the elder Anthony about.

“His name and profile are huge," Waters said. "I think he will attract other recruits. I think he’ll inject some excitement into the program. Fans are going to want to see the son of Carmelo Anthony when he suits up for the Orange.

"And Kiyan’s decision means we’ll see more of Carmelo Anthony at SU games and in the community. At the party, Carmelo told me that he plans to be much more involved in SU athletics and in the Syracuse community. I know he’s got some business projects in the works and I also think the SU athletic department would love to have him promote their NIL efforts.”

On3 ranks Kiyan Anthony as the No. 35 overall and No. 9 shooting guard in the Class of 2025. They also rank him as the top player in New York.

Syracuse had been trying to recruit Kiyan Anthony for a long time

Syracuse was serious about recruiting Kiyan Anthony. During an interview with Interview Magazine, he revealed that this was indeed the case.

"They’ve been recruiting me since my sophomore year, so for a little bit over two years," he told interviewer Jayson Buford.

Syracuse is still rebuilding, with a young sophomore coach in Adrian Autry. And with a big name like Kiyan Anthony committing to the school, it might be just what the school needed to bolster its recruitment efforts.