Kiyan Anthony has already made the headlines in Orange! Over two decades after a 19-year-old Melo led Syracuse to its first-ever NCAA Championship title, the younger Anthony is on full tilt, gearing up to make a name for himself and hopefully become a household name. He revealed that he was present four hours before the game, relentlessly going through the reps, shooting drills, “getting all the nerves out,” and it seems to have paid off.

It’s safe to say he has tipped things off the right way. In his much-anticipated debut, the freshman guard dropped 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, along with three assists and three rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench, helping the Orange secure their first win of the 2025-26 season, with the final score of 85-47.

While Carmelo Anthony wasn’t present for the opener, his ex-wife and Kiyan’s mother, La La, cheered from the courtside, leaving no doubt in making her presence felt. She has been one of Kiyan’s biggest supporters throughout his hoops journey, and she looks poised to see him turn pro in the years to come.

La La posted a clip of him warming up before his game on her Instagram stories, captioned, “First official game of the season!!! Let’s goooo Syracuse!! Let’s goo @kiyananthony🍊.” And after Syracuse sealed the win, the proud mom flooded her Instagram stories with clips and posts celebrating her son’s standout debut. “Time really does fly but I’m just so proud of him and his hard work🥹,” she wrote alongside a childhood pic of Kiyan.

However, it wasn’t just Kiyan who impressed in the season opener. Senior William Kyle III dropped 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field, while securing five rebounds in the 24 minutes he was on the floor. Wrapping up an energetic evening, it’s safe to say that the men in Orange are off to a good start despite missing JJ Starling, who sat at the very end of the bench, distraught, after a lower leg problem forced him to miss all but the first three minutes of the game.

What’s next for Kiyan Anthony and the Syracuse Orange?

Syracuse entered the 2025–26 NCAA season with renewed energy and one of its strongest freshman classes in recent years, ranked among the top 20 nationally. With the freshmen playing a crucial role on the team, the Orange men will face the No. 1-ranked team in the MEAC, the Delaware State Hornets, in their next game on November 8. However, it’s the matchups that follow that will truly test their strength and team chemistry. With games against the No. 2-ranked Houston Cougars on November 24 and the No. 19-ranked Kansas Jayhawks on November 25.

Just a few days ago, Kiyan Anthony told Inside The Loud House, “Syracuse basketball this year is going to be a lot of highlights. It’s going to be fun. We got a lot of versatility. So you’re going to see a lot of dunks. You’re going to see a lot of 3-pointers and a lot of crowd-energizing moments.” It is safe to say that nothing less will be expected from them!

With their first win in the bag, as the season moves forward, one question will be on everyone’s mind: Could history be repeating itself in Syracuse? With names like Sadiq White Jr, Naithan George, and Nate Kingz, it’s definitely possible.