Kiyan Anthony is the talk of the town after his senior season debut at Long Island Lutheran’s first game of the 2024–2025 season. Having committed to his NBA legend dad Carmelo’s college for 2025, Syracuse, the Anthony family has much to celebrate. But amid his son’s heroics, Carmelo Anthony is looking at another player’s son.

A recent post by Sports Center Next showcases a list of 2025 ESPN 100 player rankings by Paul Biancardi. With AJ Dybansta at the top, one name conspicuously missing from the top 5, or even top 10 is Alijah Areans, the son of Gilbert Arenas. And Carmelo Anthony clearly did not like it. “Alijah is the real deal!!!” he wrote in the comment section. “This has to stop!!!” he wrote in another comment.

To be noted, his own son Kiyan was at No. 36, but he did not take issue with that ranking; Anthony posted about Arenas instead, who announced his decision to reclassify a few days ago. Instead of the Class of ’26, the 6-foot-6 guard from Chatsworth High School (California) announced the on his NBA Watch Party stream and if indeed it is approved, Arenas will become one of the top 5 recruits, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN.

Currently, he’s ranked as the No. 1 shooting guard and No. 4 overall prospect in the 2026 class and has shortlisted Alabama, BYU, Kansas, and North Carolina but is yet to finalize one school.

On the other hand, Kiyan Anthony, as we already know, is going to play with the Orange beginning next year. Ranked No. 1 in New York, the shooting guard recently escaped an injury scare with a hard fall. While he reported some lower back pain, the injury was not serious. Even so, there weren’t many public comments from Anthony Sr. about his son.

Interestingly, LeBron James’ son Bryce didn’t make the list at all, but that didn’t surprise many. Meanwhile, Kiyan Anthony’s committing to Syracuse has inspired his dad to do more for the community.

Carmelo Anthony promises to be around more once Kiyan Anthony plays with the Orange

On Comstock Ave & E. Colvin Street stands a huge white building with a giant S on the outside. Syracuse University’s Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center houses the practice facilities of the school’s men’s and women’s hoops teams. Founded in 2009, it’s named after the player instrumental in helping the Orange win their sole championship in 2003. Now, his son is going to wear the same colors next fall.

And when Kiyan Anthony goes onto the court, Carmelo will be watching from the sidelines. “I’ll be there,’’ he said. “I’ll probably miss four games. Maybe four. I’ll be there. I would love to help out the program any way I can. I would love to kind of bring new business developments, new business ideas, new concepts. I just think at the time that we all can kind of revitalize this community and we need everybody to do that.’’

His son thought so too, “My dad will be there, you know, probably every game.” And couldn’t help but joke, “He’ll probably get a house there soon, too.’’

Carmelo Anthony has been active in helping the school out whenever needed already, like the refurbishing of the two outdoor courts at Wilson Park, located near the JMA Wireless Dome, in 2009. The next year, another court was redone in Schiller Park. And all this after he spent just one year at the school. Now imagine the possibilities after his son plays there, especially if we assume it’s the full four years!