As we countdown to tipoff for the Syracuse basketball season beginning on Nov. 3, The Juice Online will be doing a player-by-player preview. Today, we look at Syracuse forward Kiyan Anthony.
Understandably media day’s most popular interview, Kiyan Anthony is part of the same school where his father Carmelo achieved legendary status as a one-and-done superstar who helped deliver the Syracuse basketball program its lone NCAA Championship. So, while there is definitely great interest and curiosity about the most famous freshman to join the Orange, the reality is a little less than the usual expectations normally associated with that level of hype.
Anthony joins the program as the second-highest rated recruit in its freshman class, trailing Sadiq White. White barely nosed out Anthony by a few spots in the same neighborhood, but both are key parts to the class and the roster.
Anthony’s recruiting profile highlights his ability to score inside and out through a highly-skilled and diverse offensive game. Those offensive skills shone through in a pair of all-star games after his scholastic career was complete, as Anthony claimed MVP honors by scoring 26 points in 20 minutes at the Jordan Brand Classic and the People’s Choice Award after piling up 25 points in 21 minutes in the Allen Iverson Classic.
Just as important as that scoring polish is the development Anthony is still going through. His ballhandling skills are still getting better, as is his already solid passing game. While a good, but not great, athlete, Anthony is adding some strength to his body and subsequently adding more of a physical nature to his game.
That additional muscle could help make him a more complete player on both ends of the floor. The same strength that can help him work his way inside and finish through contact can also enable him to develop a sturdier defensive game and let him play up on defense beyond his current 6’5” stature.
The defensive end of the floor is the one that will probably dictate how much time Anthony sees this season. The talented freshman is probably ticketed for a bench role to start the season as an instant offense option with groups the second unit. While there will very likely be games where he gets extended minutes by getting on an offensive roll, his ability to carve out a consistently bigger role will depend on him being a defensive contributor.
While not likely to be a one-and-done like his father, Anthony definitely looks to be a multi-year contributor with the Orange. Those contributions will likely be smaller to start this season, but there is a very high ceiling for SU’s newest basketball legacy player.
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