Former Arkansas guard Anthony Black is among the most intriguing prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft. At 6-foot-7, he boasts elite size for a lead guard. Black can also play off the ball and out on the wing.
This is going to interest a number of teams selecting in the lottery once the annual event gets going on Thursday. Teams value players with this type of versatility.
While there’s issues relating to Black’s shooting and athleticism, there is still a whole heck of a lot to like about his game.
Related: 2023 NBA trade tracker with grades
Anthony Black measurables
- Height: 6-foot-7
- Wingspan: TBD
- Weight: 185 pounds
Anthony Black scouting report
- Positives: Elite size and ability to run an offense. Can facilitate with the best of them and has a high basketball IQ. Off the ball, he thrives as a cutter and someone who can get into the lane. On the ball, he can run the offense and is elite when it comes to the pick-and-roll game.
- Negatives: Still needs to improve his perimeter shooting ability (30% from three in 2022-23). He’s not reliable in the mid-range game yet, either. Not an elite athlete.
Related: 2023 NBA mock draft
Best fits for Anthony Black in the 2023 NBA Draft
Black doesn’t necessarily profile as a star at the next level due to his struggles shooting the ball. His floor is the current iteration of Ben Simmons with a ceiling that reaches what we saw in Josh Giddey this past season. Teams will look for that upside in the mid-to-late lottery once the NBA Draft comes calling. Here’s a look at his best fits.
Anthony Black stats (2022-23): 12.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.9 APG, 45% shooting, 30% 3-point
Dallas Mavericks (10th pick)
It seems more likely than not that Dallas will move off this pick as a way to land Luka Doncic more help after a down 2022-23 season. If that doesn’t materialize, Black makes perfect sense. His ability to play all three perimeter spots would give Doncic more help to go with Kyrie Irving (should he return in free agency).
Dallas is also lacking that length outside of Doncic. While Josh Green and Jaden Hardy have played well, it seems that they’d be involved in a trade for a more proven asset. Assuming Dallas keeps this pick, Black makes a ton of sense.
Toronto Raptors (13th pick)
Speaking of length in the backcourt, that’s been a continual issue for the Raptors. The 6-foot-1 Fred VanVleet has been a liability on this front and is set to hit free agency. Gary Trent Jr. has a player option he’s likely going to decline in order to hit free agency. Meanwhile, wing OG Anunoby has been the subject of trade rumors at nearly every stop in recent months.
With Toronto either rebuilding or retooling this summer, adding someone like Anthony Black to the mix would be a win. That’s true from both a team building and depth perspective given his versatility.
Golden State Warriors (19th pick)
Yet another team that might move off its first-round pick, Golden State needs to find a legitimate ball-handler behind Stephen Curry in the backcourt. After a breakout 2021-22 season, Jordan Poole was a disaster in this role last season. He just goes too fast, and is seemingly a turnover waiting to happen.
Even if the Warriors don’t trade Poole this summer, he’s much better as an off-ball guard. That became clear during the youngster’s struggles in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Having Black come off the bench to go with Poole, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga would also give the aging Warriors a nice young core to build around moving forward. Whether that happens depends a great deal on what new GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. plans to do following the departure of Bob Myers.