USC Basketball: College Basketball Analyst Believes Carmelo Anthony's Son Won't Pick Trojans

James Brizuela | Aug 4, 2024

July 18, 2024; North Augusta, S.C., USA; A photographer's flash goes off as Kiyan Anthony, son of NBA star Carmelo Anthony, warms up before the Team Melo and Georgia Stars game at the Nike Peach Jam at Riverview Park Activities Center. The Georgia Stars won 64-63. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Network / Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK

Back in July, it was announced that Kiyan Anthony selected six schools on his short list of potential commitments. Kiyan is the son of NBA legend, Carmelo Anthony, and the young shooting guard has been garnering a ton of media attention since.

The shortlist of schools Kiyan was set are:

• Auburn Tigers
• Florida State Seminoles
• Ohio State Buckeyes
• Rutgers Scarlet Knights
• Syracuse Orange
• USC Trojans

According to current odds on 247sports, all six schools have a "warm" rating in terms of predicting if Kiyan will commit. Naturally, the Trojans are hoping that the younger Anthony will call Southern California his home.

Though that is the hope, a college basketball analyst believes that USC does not have a shot at landing Anthony, and he will instead sign with Syracuse.

There’s a lot of prospects with long lists these days…and then there’s the real recruiting intel.

This week’s show attempted to bridge the gap, beginning with @ebosshoops view of the Kiyan Anthony sweepstakes.

📺 https://t.co/ElLlLIii8x pic.twitter.com/JblF82SwIg

— Adam Finkelstein (@AdamFinkelstein) August 3, 2024

According to longtime college basketball analyst Eric Bossi:

"The favorite has to be Syracuse, right? We're talking about a dude whose dad is a legend, won the championship there, and his name is on the building that they practice in. ... I think him ending up anywhere other than Syracuse school will be one of the bigger surprises we've ever seen."

It would make sense for Kiyan to sign with Syracuse from a legacy standpoint. Carmelo attended Syracuse for one season in 2002-03 when he was instrumental in helping the team acquire their first-ever NCAA Tournament win.

Kiyan might want to follow in his father's footsteps, and Bossi apparently believes that might be the case as well.

When Kiyan was asked about potentially playing for the Orangemen, he stated, "The coaches, I feel like they're recruiting me for myself, and not just because of my father. That's what I like. I just feel like they're rebuilding and they're looking to get a winning team. I feel like I can help them do that if I was to go there."

Though Kiyan has yet to decide on his commitment, he could be aiming to add a bit of legacy to his own NBA journey.

Kiyan is a four-star recruit and comes in ranked No. 32 in prospects from the 2025 commitment class. He is the No. 1 ranked prospect in New York, and the No. 7 ranked shooting guard.

Despite the feelings he could join Syracuse, Trojans head coach Eric Musselman might want to work his magic to ensure the younger Anthony plays for the Trojans instead.

The Trojans could use another shooting guard, and Anthony could be that person.