Syracuse and the Anthony Family Face Off Against Kansas 22 Years Later

The son of a player who once tormented Kansas basketball fans will face off against the Jayhawks today.

Nov 18, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Kiyan Anthony (7) controls the ball against the Monmouth Hawks during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Whenever Kansas basketball fans think about Syracuse, they unfortunately remember the 2003 national title loss.

Jim Boeheim and Roy Williams, two of the greatest coaches the sport has seen, faced off on Apr. 7, 2003, in a highly anticipated matchup. The Jayhawks came up just short, falling 81-78 at the hands of Boeheim and Carmelo Anthony, an All-American and the tournament's eventual Most Outstanding Player winner.

Twenty-two years later, the two programs have met in the regular season twice since, and will meet for the third time during the Players Era Festival later this afternoon. However, today's meeting carries even more significance than the prior two due to who is on Syracuse's roster right now — Carmelo's very own son, Kiyan Anthony.

Carmelo Anthony and his son, Kiyan, watch the Don Bosco Prep Ironmen compete against the McEachern Indians in a game during the 50th annual City of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. Kiyan Anthony and the Long Island Luthern Crusaders defeated Westminster Academy earlier in the day. | Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK

Syracuse Guard Kiyan Anthony is Carmelo's Son

The No. 32-ranked prospect in the Class of 2025, Anthony followed in his father's footsteps by choosing to play at Syracuse. Carmelo is widely considered the greatest player in Orange history and was the catalyst behind their program's only national championship run.

While the program has been on a downswing since Boeheim stepped away from the sport in 2023, there is still a massive amount of history attached to the Anthony name.

Carmelo went on to play 19 years in the NBA as one of the best scorers of his era, spending most of his career with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. But in the NCAA, he will always be known as perhaps the best one-and-done player in college basketball history.

Kansas fans who remember watching Anthony hoist the championship trophy after that heartbreaking defeat over 20 years ago will now see his son take the floor this afternoon. Everything is coming full circle.

2003: Syracuse Xxx Proto Jubo Ncaa Ib01 Syracuse Jubo 09 S La | H. Darr Beiser via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Through his first five contests in his freshman year, Kiyan has excelled, averaging 13.8 points and 2.6 rebounds on 52.0% field goal shooting. He has bounced in and out of the starting lineup as he gets acclimated to the college game.

While he isn't quite as highly touted as his father once was, Kiyan still has the chance to become a great player. He certainly has the guidance (and genetics) of an all-time great to help him get there.

During Syracuse's loss to Houston on the first day of the tournament yesterday, Carmelo could be seen in the crowd cheering his son and alma mater on. If he does indeed return to the stands today, the Jayhawk faithful will undoubtedly get déjà vu seeing the name "Anthony" across the back of a Syracuse jersey with Carmelo in the crowd.