Kiyan Anthony is not shying away from his heritage, he is accepting it with open arms. As the best player from New York, he had every chance to pick any other program than Syracuse. However, he wanted to be a part of the rebuild. Thus, Anthony has arrived at the same program his father, Carmelo Anthony, won the national championship with.

“I’m excited to play on a bigger stage, in front of more fans, in front of more people, higher expectations, higher everything, just taking a step into that next level,” he told SLAM. While arriving on the prominent stage, the eyeballs have also brought a significant NIL deal from Michael Jordan’s brand. Anthony was included in $6.6 billion worth (per Forbes as of 2023) Jordan Brand Basketball’s class of 2025.

“Jordan Brand Basketball is welcoming elite hoopers Sarah Strong, Kiyan Anthony, Cameron Boozer, and Cayden Boozer to its decorated roster of NIL athletes,” Nike wrote in its official statement.  Jordan adds to Anthony’s multiple pre-existing NIL deals with American Eagle Outfitters, AT&T, Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, and more.

Considering his father is Carmelo Anthony, a deal with the Jordan Brand could have been anticipated. In 2003, Carmelo negotiated a massive rookie deal directly with Nike. Almost immediately, Carmelo was moved to the Jordan Brand, paying about 3.5 million annually over 6 years. With the Melo 1.5, Anthony was Jordan Brand’s first signature athlete with his own independent line of shoes, separate from the numbered Air Jordan series. His 13 signature models are only shy of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Allen Iverson. Now, his son Kiyan Anthony is carrying his legacy at the same brand.

“To be part of the Jordan Brand family, to me, means carrying on a legacy,” Kiyan said in the release, “I want my legacy to be more than just basketball. I want it to be on and off the court, giving back to the community, doing everything I can to uphold my last name and carry the torch.”

Anthony has been exposed to plenty of community initiatives in the past. Earlier this year, his mother, La La Anthony, was bestowed with the Jump Entertainment & Social Justice Changemaker Award. La La runs the ThreeSixty program, which aims at “providing mentorship and life coaching, legal services, and re-entry tools, to young men ages 18–21 years old who are incarcerated, specifically in the Robert N. Davoren (RNDC) Complex.” 

This NIL partnership with the Jordan Brand will unlock various doors in that area for Kiyan as well. Beyond just his brand value, Kiyan is gearing up to lift his team from the lull. Being the face of Jordan Brand’s new $6.6 billion machine only magnifies that responsibility. He will have to turn every possession in this injury‑hit stretch on which Syracuse’s tournament hopes hinge. It will also be a referendum on how he carries the Anthony legacy in a Jordan jersey.

Kiyan Anthony And Co. Burdened With Syracuse’s NCAA Comeback

It’s been four years since Syracuse made the NCAA tournament. Since then, it has been a slippery slope. 2025-26 brings hope with JJ Starling and Donnie Freeman, two quality ACC starters. They have young blood in Kiyan Anthony and Sadiq White Jr.  In addition, coach Adrian Autry is under tremendous pressure after finishing last season 14-19 and outside the top 100. Anthony insisted that as a freshman, he would try his best to bring back Syracuse’s lost glory. 

“It’s definitely a lot to look forward to, but you know, as a team, we just take it day by day, and the tournament is definitely in our eyes, and I feel like we definitely capable of getting this team back there,” he said on the Field Of 68 After Dark.

So far, it has been smooth sailing for the Orange. A 4-0 start against the teams they are supposed to beat. With veteran guard JJ Stirling missing time, Anthony has cashed in on his opportunity. In 4 games, Anthony has averaged 14.8 points shooting at a 54.8 % clip, and 38.5 % from behind the three-point line. He has added 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 26.8 minutes per game.

“They’ve been down for the past couple years. So, just to try to come in here as a freshman and do everything I can along with Sadi, I feel like we could definitely, you know, help get back the team back to the tournament,” he further said.  

Syracuse is suffering from an injury crisis at the worst time. Donnie Freeman was seen wearing a boot. Sadiq is out for the early part of the season with an upper-body injury. Starling is on his way back from the hamstring injury. Tyrese Betsey is carrying an ankle injury. And they have No.2 Houston, No.24 Kansas, and No.20 Tennessee up next. If the NCAA tournament is the goal, Anthony would have to step up in the upcoming stretch to improve their chances.