While ahead of the NCAA season, last summer he was considered more of a “role-player” and the lieutenant of Nick Smith Jr, rookie “freshman” star at Arkansas, Anthony Blackalso a “freshman”, eventually established himself as the best player and the central element of the game of the Razorbacks.
While his backcourt colleague struggled to find his rhythm due to repeated physical glitches, the Texas native displayed a constant level of play, and shone with his “all-around” profile. Very good “playmaker” and defender in high school, Anthony Black thus confirmed in the NCAA all the good that observers thought of him in these areas, even if on the contrary he did not reassure on his weak points, such as shooting and the creation of the shot.
But on the whole, his “freshman” exercise was very convincing and it is therefore quite logical that he chose to be a “one-and-done”. In the “lottery”, his profile as a tall ball carrier with good versatility will interest more than one team, that’s for sure.
Profile
Job : Leader
Size : 2m01
Weight : 90kg
Crew : Arkansas Razorbacks
Stats 2022/23: 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists
Strong points
– A pure creator. A natural ball carrier of 2m01, used most of the time as a point guard this season in Arkansas but also capable of playing in a secondary creator role on a 2/3 position thanks to his size, Anthony Black is a creator at heart. Lively, his eyes always focused on the front, he reads the game well and knows how to anticipate decisions to place his teammates at the right tempo. Equally at ease on half-court pick-and-roll and on transition, after recovering a rebound for example, he has the potential to be a high-volume playmaker in an attack in NBA. With it, interiors of the “rim-running” type should particularly have fun. With the Razorbacks this season, he took advantage of Nick Smith Jr.’s injuries to establish himself as the hub of his team’s game, but he was surrounded by a “spacing” close to nothing. Surrounded by better shooters and more broadly better attackers among the pros, he should without worries reach or even exceed his assist average for this season (3.9) from his year rookie.
– defensive qualities. Tall and mobile, with reactive supports, Anthony Black today seems capable of defending certain player profiles ranging from position 1 to position 4 in the NBA, even if he will be in more difficulty against the most athletic / explosive because of his lack of explosiveness and physical power. Especially since his readings of the game in defense are relevant, especially on the passing lines (2.1 interceptions). At the “point-of-attack”, he will undoubtedly know how to quickly hold his rank on the “switches”. It now remains to progress in the constancy of defensive efforts, like all young people. But the tools, physical and intellectual, to be an impact player in this field are there, and they are convincing.
Weak points
– The shot. It is to this day on this point that the shoe pinches, when we observe the profile of Anthony Black. Precious in attack because he is a very good “playmaker” and a “connector”, he is however not a very good attacker, currently. The fault, above all, with his shooting, still under construction. The shoot doesn’t come naturally to him, and the visual impression doesn’t lie. Not very comfortable shooting in “catch-and-shoot” behind the bow (30.1% this season), he is even less so when it comes to creating his shot and drawing in “pull-up “. His shooting mechanics are also puzzling, and perhaps a few small adjustments could help him find his ease more. The good news is that the shooting is workable, and it is quite easy to progress in this area.
– Bullet losses. He has averaged 3 per game this season, almost as much as his assist average of 3.9 per game. What is reassuring is that many were due to youthful mistakes and a tendency to sometimes overplay and want to do too well, and that total should organically decrease as he gains more experience as a playmaker. in the NBA. Especially since the basketball IQ is high at home, and the readings most of the time relevant.
Comparison
somewhere between Shaun Livingston And Josh Giddey.
Prognosis
In the Top 10. In #8 in Washington for example, the “fit” is absolutely obvious.
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