Carmelo Anthony commented on Syracuse benching son Kiyan in loss vs. Virginia

Carmelo Anthony weighed in Saturday after his son, Kiyan, was benched for Syracuse’s entire 72-59 loss at No. 18 Virginia. The Hall-of-Famer delivered a brief message amid a turbulent stretch for the Orange.

Syracuse coach Adrian Autry said the decision to hold Kiyan out was solely his and not injury related. However, the freshman was available but did not see the floor for the first time this season.

“No injury concerns. It was just my decision,” Autry said. “This is a physical team, experienced team. It was just my decision. Nothing else.”

The move came days after Anthony posted “SMFH” in the comments of Syracuse’s official Instagram account following a loss to North Carolina. Kiyan scored 10 points in the game. After Saturday’s benching, Anthony added another public note, commenting under ESPN’s Instagram post, saying, “A little adversity don’t hurt.”

Anthony’s words carried added weight given his standing in the program. He led Syracuse to the 2003 national championship as a freshman and has since remained closely tied to the school, including serving as a booster who helped fund the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center.

MORE: MrBeast to fund a college football team? Fans react to social media post

Kiyan, who is averaging 8.9 points per game, has experienced a season marked by flashes of promise and growing pains after committing to Syracuse Orange in 2024, more than two decades after his father’s title run.

Syracuse has lost six of its past seven games, with Autry struggling to find consistency. He has felt the wrath of Orange fan, who have grown restless. 

More college basketball news:

• Hubert Davis buyout, contract details as UNC Tar Heels coach
• Why is Bryce James not playing? The reason you won't see LeBron's youngest son
• 'Basketball Saved My Life': Why Master P came home to rebuild New Orleans
• Why FOX blocked St. John’s from participating in a major college basketball event
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix It