Kiyan Anthony Named Among Four New Jordan Brand NIL Athletes in Latest Announcement

Kiyan Anthony, freshman guard for Syracuse men’s basketball, has officially signed an NIL deal with Jordan Brand. The announcement was made by Nike on Monday, naming Kiyan as part of their “Class of 2025” alongside Duke’s Cameron and Cayden Boozer and UConn’s Sarah Strong.

This deal positions Kiyan among the first male college basketball players to join the Jordan Brand NIL roster. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Carmelo Anthony, who was Jordan Brand’s first signature athlete more than two decades ago.

Kiyan expressed pride in continuing the family legacy. He said, “To be part of the Jordan Brand family, to me, means carrying on a legacy. 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.”

Carmelo Anthony’s historic connection with Jordan Brand began when he released the Jordan Melo 1.5 in 2004. Carmelo first met Michael Jordan at the Jordan Brand Classic in 2002, where he led all scorers with 27 points. Kiyan mimicked his father’s performance by scoring 26 points and earning the MVP award at the 2025 Jordan Brand Classic.

In his freshman season at Syracuse, Kiyan has showcased strong potential. He is averaging 13.8 points per game on an efficient 52% shooting rate from the field. During the absence of Syracuse guard J.J. Starling due to injury, Kiyan started two games, scoring 18 and 19 points respectively.

Most recently, Kiyan contributed 10 points and two steals off the bench in a narrow overtime loss to No. 3 Houston, with his father Carmelo and mother La La watching courtside. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson praised him, stating, “Let me tell you about (Kiyan), he’s a lot like his daddy. That boy can score that ball, he’s good.”

The addition of Kiyan Anthony and the Boozer twins marks a new chapter for Jordan Brand’s involvement in college basketball NIL deals. Their engagement highlights the growing influence of name, image, and likeness agreements in collegiate athletics.