Jeff Levack of 'Levack and Goz,' said he wouldn't have blamed Anthony for leaving, but he elected to come back for his sophomore year.
Sophomore guard Kiyan Anthony had a decision to make this past spring when it came to his time with the Syracuse basketball program.
Kiyan, the son of legendary Syracuse basketball player Carmelo Anthony, could have left for another school via the transfer portal.
After a 15-17 season that saw them miss the NCAA Tournament for a fifth straight year, Anthony had multiple theoretical reasons to leave, including the firing of the head coach who recruited him to Central New York, Adrian Autry.
Instead, Anthony decided to return to Syracuse for his sophomore year. He revealed one of the biggest reasons as to why earlier this week.
Kiyan's quote to local media
In a recent interview with Syracuse.com, Anthony said he would have left Syracuse if they didn't hire Gerry McNamara as the team's head coach. Anthony said:
"Honestly, I feel like if anybody else got the job, I probably would have transferred"
New York sports host Jeff Levack wouldn't have blamed Kiyan for leaving Syracuse
Jeff Levack, a popular sports radio and podcast personality in Albany, who co-hosts the 'Levack and Goz' show, discussed Anthony's decision to remain in Central New York. Levack said the following:
"'The one difference I'll give to this one is the coach change. So, if you're Kiyan Anthony and you came to play for Red (Adrian Autry) and Red is out, even though he didn't do a great job, then I don't really blame you for at least keeping your options open and getting out of there."
Why Kiyan Anthony returning to Syracuse is a great thing
This offseason, Anthony has physically transformed his body. After adding a reported 10-15 pounds of muscle, Anthony's ability to get to the basket and draw contact could grow even more. College basketball programs competing in the power four conferences rarely play freshman guards and in some cases, some schools have stopped recruiting them at all.
After a year of experiencing high level competition, along with the off season conditioning and a new coaching staff, the potential of Anthony's growth should be something Orange fans look forward to this season.
Other Syracuse basketball news
--Former Syracuse guard Dion Waiters was involved in an NBA transaction?! That's right! The eight-year NBA veteran has not played since 2020, yet he was involved Wednesday with a transaction involving his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
--The NBA Summer League will feature multiple former Syracuse basketball players including Nate Kingz, Maliq Brown, William Kyle III and more. We laid out the schedule for when and how you can watch former Orange players in action.
--The Orange have secured another time and date for a non-conference opponent. Find out when Syracuse will host Central Connecticut State this season at the JMA Wireless Dome.
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