Syracuse freshman Kiyan Anthony, son of Orange legend and NBA great Carmelo Anthony, was noticeably absent from the court during Saturday’s 72-59 loss to No. 18 Virginia - his first DNP (Did Not Play) of the season. And while fans might’ve been scanning the injury report for answers, head coach Adrian Autry made it clear: this was strictly a coaching decision.
“It was my decision,” Autry said postgame. “This is a physical team, experienced team and it was just my decision.
Nothing else. No injuries or anything like that.”
That’s a bold call, especially considering Anthony’s role this season. The freshman has been a key contributor off the bench, averaging 8.9 points and 1.6 rebounds over 23 appearances, including two starts. He’s been Syracuse’s most consistent scoring threat among the reserves, and his offensive spark has often been a much-needed boost for a team that’s struggled to find rhythm in ACC play.
The timing of the benching is also worth noting. Just days earlier, Anthony played 16 minutes in a tough loss to North Carolina, putting up 10 points - fourth-most on the team behind Donnie Freeman, Naithan George, and J.J.
Starling. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but it was productive.
Syracuse trailed by as many as 32 in that game before clawing back to within six in the final minute. Anthony was part of that late push.
So, when a player who’s been one of your more reliable bench scorers suddenly doesn’t see the floor in a pivotal conference matchup, it raises eyebrows. Especially when the team is trying to stay afloat in the ACC.
Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony - who led Syracuse to its only national title back in 2003 - appeared to express frustration after the UNC loss earlier in the week. On Instagram, he commented “SMFH” on a post from the team’s official account following the 87-77 defeat. No direct mention of his son’s minutes or role, but the timing of that reaction didn’t go unnoticed.
As for the broader picture, Syracuse now sits at 13-11 overall and 4-7 in conference play. The loss to Virginia, a well-coached and seasoned squad, puts the Orange in a tough spot as the regular season winds down. At this point, they’re on track to miss the NCAA Tournament for a fifth straight year - a streak that would’ve been unthinkable not long ago.
There’s still time to rewrite the story of this season, but the margin for error is shrinking fast. And for a team searching for answers, sitting one of your top bench scorers in a crucial ACC matchup only deepens the questions.