Top 3 College Offers Carmelo Anthony’s Son Kiyan Is Likely to Choose From and Why

While the spotlight hovers on the James family, one NBA scion has quietly been cementing his rise. Kiyan Anthony is not in a debate about whether he’s ready or not. 40 points in the Peach Jam, ranked 31st by On3, and a four-star prospect of the 2025 class, some like to say that the 18-year-old is ready to go prep-to-pro. They’re at least sure he’d be the second coming of Carmelo Anthony (or better) any day. But first, college. And he’s got a lot of options in that.

Carmelo Anthony and La La’s son had made only one college offer known until recently: his dad’s alma mater, Syracuse. Now he’s narrowed his choices down to six. By some observations, three D1 programs and Kiyan would be a match made in heaven.

#1 Syracuse Orange

This one’s for sentimental reasons. When Kiyan tried on the Orange jersey for size during a college tour with his parents, it felt like a throwback. This is the school Carmelo Anthony led to its first-ever NCAA tournament championship in 2003. He holds most of the school’s records in scoring and rebounding. As a freshman, he made Final Four history for most points in a game.

Anthony went to the draft right after a spectacular college start. He didn’t win NBA titles but he has four Olympic medals (three golds) and holds all-time records for Team USA. More than a few have their fingers crossed, hoping for Melo 2.0 in Orange.

Syracuse is in the 6’5″ teen’s top 6 choices. He made it clear it has nothing to do with his dad. It was the first Power Four program to offer him back in 2022 and their interest has grown. Anthony will announce his decision in the fall but Syracuse’s presence in his top choice gives Orange nation hope.

#2 USC Trojans

One for dad, and one for unc. Or at least the uncle’s son. There’s speculation that Kiyan could follow Bronny James’ footsteps to the West Coast after USC made an offer. That could bring him closer to Melo’s old friends, LeBron James and Bronny, who are both signed with the Lakers. But the James fam’s template is not the reason the Trojans could be a good fit.

The team named Eric Musselman as the men’s basketball head coach this year. With three Tournament titles, he’s seen as the right coach to maximize the shooting guard’s potential.

#3 Florida State Seminoles

The Seminoles have also shown an eagerness in Kiyan from the early stages of recruitment. He had one visit last year with the Noles and has another coming soon. Note, ‘Cuse and FSU are the only programs that have drawn Kiyan to their campuses so far. His decision would come after that. The biggest draw would probably be Alier Maluk, their top-ranked 2025 commit.

Maluk and Anthony played together at Long Island Lutheran. Perhaps he’d try to prolong their partnership by luring him to Tallahassee. Anthony is already an efficient scorer like his dad and is effective from the mid-range. Having that on-court chemistry with a teammate would only make it better.

Others in his top 6 choices are Auburn, Ohio State, and Rutgers among offers from Arizona State, Indiana, Illinois, and West Virginia. Which school do you think will win the Kiyan sweepstakes?

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.