Carmelo Anthony’s son, Keanu Anthony, burst onto the scene with a powerful performance in the second session of the Nike EYBL. As Anthony’s recruiting intensified in June, Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway was named one of the frontrunners for the outstanding recruit.
Keanu Anthony was rising through the ranks as one of the top high school basketball prospects in the class of 2025. After scoring 26 points in a recent Nike EYBL session in Memphis, Anthony has been making waves as a high-octane leading scorer at the collegiate level.
According to NCAA rules, college basketball coaches will have to wait until June 15 to contact Anthony for a possible visit. However, that didn’t stop the shooting guard from getting a handful of scholarship offers.
Heading into his junior season at Long Island Lutheran, Anthony has already received scholarship offers from 10 schools, including Memphis, Tennessee, Illinois, and his father’s alma mater, Syracuse.
Anthony will reportedly start making visits in September, giving college coaches plenty of time to express interest in one of the most interesting prospects in the class of 2025.
“I will start my visits in September of this year,” Anthony explained in a previous interview. “I will visit schools that I feel most needed and welcome.”
Memphis is reported to be among Anthony’s best schools
For Anthony, one college coach stood out during his rise in the recruiting rankings: Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway.
“He was trying to get to me before anyone else, and that feels great,” Keanu Anthony said. “He looks out for me that way, I always see Penny around and he always shows love. He’s an amazing guy.”
As the June 15 final approaches, the race for commitment from Carmelo’s son is set to heat up. While Hardaway will no doubt be one of the first coaches they reach out to, Keanu is determined to keep his options open.
“I’m sure he’ll reach out to me and probably try to arrange a visit or something,” Kian Anthony said. “But I’m keeping all my options open, just waiting to see what happens.”
Indiana, Providence, Seton Hall, UMass are among the other schools that have already put up a scholarship offer for freshmen.
But being the son of an NBA player, Anthony seems to appreciate having guidance from a former player as his head coach, which could eventually give Memphis an advantage in recruiting.
“I feel like when you played in the NBA, you have a different understanding of the game,” Keanu Anthony said. “So, when you coach, you see the game differently than people who haven’t played in the NBA. They can really break the game. They know what they’re doing. They know what works, what doesn’t work, and what defense to play.”
Anthony set up more playing time at Long Island Lutheran
Currently ranked as the No. 62 player in the class of 2025, the 6-5 shooting guard played sparingly as a sophomore at Christ The King (New York), prompting him to switch schools in search of a better opportunity to showcase his talents.
Anthony has since transferred to Long Island Lutheran, where he became a student in February and was allowed to practice with the team.
Check out some of his training footage below.
More screenshots @employee In his first training with LuHi.
🎥: @employee pic.twitter.com/P3iIIuMWYQ
– Nick Esposito (@itsNickEsposito) February 8, 2023
“I feel like it was the right decision to come here,” Keanu said after his first training session. “I felt like they were bringing me into a family of players and coaches. I just felt accepted.”
According to MaxPreps, Long Island Lutheran (NY) ranked the No. 3 basketball team in the country in 2023 and the best school in New York State.