Age

19.5

Height

6'7''

Weight

198

Workload

MIN%

80

USG%

23

TS%

60

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

16.3

REB

6.2

AST

4.1

STL

2.7

BLK

0.4

TOV

3.6

Efficiency

RIM FG%

61

MID FG%

33

3PT FG%

33

FT%

82

Jump to full report

Report by: Matt

Anthony Black

Guard Arkansas

High-feel tall connecting guard who mixes it up inside

Age

19.5

Height

6'7''

Weight

198

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

16.3

REB

6.2

AST

4.1

STL

2.7

BLK

0.4

Positions Defended

Offensive Role

 

Defensive Role

   

Anthony Black has the traits to become one of the best connecting players in the NBA. That sounds like lofty praise but a quick rundown of what Black brings to the table makes it immediately reasonable:

  • Ant is one of the quickest processors of what happens on the court I’ve seen
  • He has impressive overall athleticism, most notably incredibly quick leaping (he was a former stand-out wide receiver) but also physicality for frame at 6’7”, 195
  • He is a willing attacker, with good finishing touch and ability to absorb contact
  • He rarely makes significant mistakes, only occasionally forcing the issue or over-reacting to a fake

Add that all together and it’s difficult to imagine him not having an impact at the NBA level, as these traits not only translate well to a faster, stronger game, but his utility will only increase with better teammates around him (no insult to Arkansas’ very good talent! that’s just how connectors work – they leverage surrounding talent increasingly as it increases). Ant’s ability to consistently make the right play, whether moving the ball on offense or making the right rotation or directing his teammates…all of these bring out the best in those he plays around. That’s what a connector does.

Constantly bouncing on the floor, Ant keeps on a swivel and ready to change direction at any given moment. He is excellent at manipulating not just his pace but his cadence on drives, and takes interior defenders by surprise by his ability to make passes down the throat of the defense when they least expect it. Occasionally he may force the issue or get stuck in a drive, but sports a positive assist-to-turnover ratio despite creating mostly from a standstill.

Anthony Black passing compilation.

The case for him is not limited to this role, however. Black’s creativity and skill – prospects of his archetype can be very poor shooters, but Ant is still respectable from distance with decent mechanics, if slow – mean it’s difficult to bake in a specific upside. I’m not sure why Ant couldn’t continue to develop his shot, with off the dribble shooting being the item he most needs to improve to have true primary upside. His catch and shoot mechanics look easily workable, with good results so far in his Arkansas season. Ant has also been showing increased ability to punish PNR unders with pull-ups and deep drops with floaters, but has also already shown himself adaptable in discovering new driving angles, a master of controlling pace on drives who loves to experiment with new ideas based on his opponent.

Anthony Black scoring compilation.

It is also difficult to find limitations for the freshman on the defensive side. It is rare to find a player who can both fight through screens and guard up in the post, with quick active hands to make strips on digs but also the quick leaping to provide some help-side rim protection and rebound like a wing. I’m skeptical regarding Ant becoming a complete lockdown defender one-on-one, as he will likely struggle to stay in front of the absolute quickest guards, but he is perfectly portable to execute whatever scheme, and, most notably, is quick to snuff out whatever action as the offense sets it up. This, again, makes him the ideal partner for traditional stars. Not only will he get them easier shots on offense, but has the flexibility to plug whatever leaks occur on defense.

Ant, essentially, allows your traditional stars to cut corners, but at a high enough level that he might eventually be considered a star himself. Building your team around offensive firepower? Ant can get them the ball in their spots while probing towards the hoop himself. But more importantly, he can consistently be relied upon to make the other team work to set up their offense, and, perhaps most essential of all, can be trusted to handle whatever new wrinkles are thrown at your team with his elite processing speed. That sounds like a very valuable player, especially in a playoff setting where versatility is crucial. His ability to move to his next assignment seamlessly through a play or stick to who he’s supposed to would make him an easy piece to add to a defense’s foundation, especially at 6’6”/6’7” with quick leaping.

Anthony Black defense compilation.

All of this makes me comfortable taking Anthony Black quite high in the 2023 NBA draft, though will continue to see how he progresses, particularly with his shot but also in how he adapts to playing next to Nick Smith Jr. But at this moment I see Black as a worthy candidate to be taken within the top ten, perhaps even in the top 5 for a perfect fit (Houston comes to mind there).

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