Kiyan Anthony made headlines earlier this month when he was benched during the Virginia game. Despite being fit to play and the Syracuse Orange getting thrashed in the second half, coach Adrian Autry didn’t put him on the floor even for a minute.
He came off the bench in the next game against the California Golden Bears, but didn’t have a great outing. In the last Syracuse game, however, Anthony became the reason why they were able to beat the SMU Mustangs 79-78.
At the end of the first half, Syracuse was trailing 35-39. Anthony’s outburst in the second half helped his team secure a thrilling one-point win. Many saw it as his way of proving to Autry that he can be a reliable player who can win games for him.
Tonight, the Syracuse Orange will face the Duke Blue Devils in Durham. Once again, there’s uncertainty around Anthony’s availability. Although he’s not on the team’s injury report and is likely ready to lace up, the final call will depend on the roster rotation Autry wants for his team.
Considering his game-winning performance against the SMU Mustangs, Anthony will likely play tonight. He has only missed one game in this season so far, and that was because Autry wanted to bench him.
The 18-year-old is averaging over 19 points per game in 25 outings. He averages 8.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1 assist per game while shooting nearly 42% from the field. Although his numbers dip in away games, he can still stack up good numbers coming off the bench against Duke.
Kiyan Anthony on Following Carmelo Anthony’s Syracuse Legacy
Kiyan is unlike any other player on the Syracuse team. His father, Carmelo Anthony, is a Syracuse and NBA legend who is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Although Melo has always stated that he never puts any pressure on his son, it’s difficult for the 18-year-old to avoid being compared to him. During a conversation with Rob Dauster, he was asked about the pressure that comes with the Anthony surname.
“Yeah, you definitely feel it. You know, I feel it every day just coming to practice. I feel it in the games. I feel it before the games. But, you know, it’s kind of just something I embraced and got comfortable with; being comfortable, being uncomfortable,” he said.
“So, whenever I feel like, you know, it is a new scenario for me, new situation, I kind of just dive into, you know, what I did before, just trying to find places to be comfortable and keep my mind right, and kind of just stay hopeful,” Anthony added.
In his first season in college basketball, Kiyan has shown that he can maintain his own identity, one that wouldn’t always be tied to his father’s Hall of Fame legacy.
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