Speaking on the most recent edition of the 'Orange Zone' podcast, former Syracuse University guard Eric Devendorf said it would be detrimental if the SU men's basketball program lost Kiyan Anthony this offseason.

Anthony, a freshman, is averaging 8.7 ppg to go along with 1.5 rebounds and one assist. He's played in 26 of 27 games and is shooting 41.8 percent from the floor.

The Orange are 15-12 overall and 6-8 inside Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play.

He needs to get stronger so that he can be a bigger force on the glass and hold his own better defensively, but the talent is clearly there. He has a smoothness to his offensive game and will only get better as his long-range jump shot gets more consistent.

In addition to his talent, there's also his ability to attract other players to the SU program, according to Devendorf.

"To have him [Kiyan], to have Melo, that brings attention to all these other guys. Think about all the other guys he [Kiyan] could bring to SU and [help] recruit."

Carmelo Anthony is the most recognizable Syracuse alum to an entire generation of prospective recruits, and Kiyan's ability to connect with them is important as well. Devendorf also recently championed the idea of Carmelo having a bigger role with the basketball program, wanting to lean fully into his influence.

There's been no hint of Kiyan wanting to transfer at this point, but given the current landscape of college sports, it's always a possibility. Furthermore, the future of head coach Adrian Autry is up in the air, and there's no indication how his future could be tied into Kiyan's. While unlikely, there's also the chance that Kiyan could declare for the NBA Draft.

The Orange will be back at home on Saturday afternoon against the University of North Carolina. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET. North Carolina, dealing with injury issues, was just throttled by North Carolina State 82-58.

--Former Syracuse football offensive lineman Justin Outten has received a promotion from the World Champion Seattle Seahawks. After serving as a run-game specialist and assistant offensive line coach in 2025, Outten is the new run game coordinator for head coach Mike Macdonald. He interviewed for the offensive coordinator job, but did not get it. Seattle clearly values him though.

He spent four years on the SU offensive line (2003-2006), helping Syracuse achieve two six-win seasons. He also coached at Syracuse in 2007.

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