The Anthony Black Thread

[Howard Mass]

Anthony Black is a lot like Markelle Fultz.

Their natural passing instincts, natural feel for the game and drives to the bucket (Watch the tapes) mirror that.

With Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony free agents next summer, it gives them insurance in case they do not want to re-sign one of them.

Black's shot will be the big question. If he gets that down, watch out.

Black is not a flashy player whatsoever but he seems to make the right reads and plays. He can run a pick and roll unlike Fultz/Cole. If his shot doesn't improve then he is essentially a slightly better MCW during the Clifford Magic days. If he does make the shot then that changes things considerably, a big if as we all know given post Dwight drafting history. Wait and see approach. Honestly like Jett better at this point and he can fill it up.

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It's Black's natural instincts that I like.

The picks are done. Let's see what happens.

[Howard Mass]

Anthony Black is a lot like Markelle Fultz.

Their natural passing instincts, natural feel for the game and drives to the bucket (Watch the tapes) mirror that.

With Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony free agents next summer, it gives them insurance in case they do not want to re-sign one of them.

Black's shot will be the big question. If he gets that down, watch out.

I dont think Fultz is anywhere near Black as a passer or as a defender. He cant toss a lob to safe his life in pick and roll and he rarely involves the big man. One bad timed lob he threw to WCJ was a story here for a week. To me Fultz high bbiq is a fan fiction. His regularly defers and creates nothing outside midrange shot for himself.
I am curious to see Black who is also bad shooter right now but at least makes good decisions.

I think they are both good passers but as you see them both play, you will see the similarities.

Fultz also is getting his pullup jumper back.

I'm excited for the comparisons and debates about the two this season.

[pepe1991]

This was far and away the best thing I have heard about our new addition Anthony Black. Like I need to take a step back and re-think it when media analysts would have 10 times out of 10 bashed the Magic for picking yet another non-shooter and yet somehow here they are doing the complete opposite with an unanimous top grade. He has 70% FT shooting compared to the 50's of one of the twins too.

Watch on YouTube

Because media also wants to be proven right, and there is nobody who will call them down for own mistakes, so it's much easier to slap As and Bs and have braging rights to be proven- right than opposite. This swing happends in aftermath of Porzingis draft hate that had spectacular backfire on people who looked like clowns for dissing him. People tend to remember who was ultra low and proven wrong, than being ultra low and proven right. To this date you have clips of dummies hating on Luka pre draft. Nobody really shows clips of people who were high on him ( or i don't know, ultra low on Biyombo and proven right).

For last several years ,most post draft grades are usually high. I went back to see grades for 2018,2019,2020 and 2021 . It's usually bunch of As and Bs.

For example we got A+ for Bamba by CBSports

For 2021 as draft houl, CBSports gave nobody but Kings grade below B ( other than Bucks and somebody else without first round pick, but that's grading draft based on some random 56th pick ).

It's strategic overhype imo.

[KillMonger]

Read on Twitter

[MoMM]

Lots of PGs, still no real starter.

Shouldn't you let Black play before coming to that conclusion?

Sorry, I thought he had played in NCAA...

[MoMM]

This was far and away the best thing I have heard about our new addition Anthony Black. Like I need to take a step back and re-think it when media analysts would have 10 times out of 10 bashed the Magic for picking yet another non-shooter and yet somehow here they are doing the complete opposite with an unanimous top grade. He has 70% FT shooting compared to the 50's of one of the twins too.

Watch on YouTube

Because media also wants to be proven right, and there is nobody who will call them down for own mistakes, so it's much easier to slap As and Bs and have braging rights to be proven- right than opposite. This swing happends in aftermath of Porzingis draft hate that had spectacular backfire on people who looked like clowns for dissing him. People tend to remember who was ultra low and proven wrong, than being ultra low and proven right. To this date you have clips of dummies hating on Luka pre draft. Nobody really shows clips of people who were high on him ( or i don't know, ultra low on Biyombo and proven right).

For last several years ,most post draft grades are usually high. I went back to see grades for 2018,2019,2020 and 2021 . It's usually bunch of As and Bs.

For example we got A+ for Bamba by CBSports

For 2021 as draft houl, CBSports gave nobody but Kings grade below B ( other than Bucks and somebody else without first round pick, but that's grading draft based on some random 56th pick ).

It's strategic overhype imo.

They have to sell hope for the fans, otherwise people won't sell out season tickets.

[KillMonger]

This was far and away the best thing I have heard about our new addition Anthony Black. Like I need to take a step back and re-think it when media analysts would have 10 times out of 10 bashed the Magic for picking yet another non-shooter and yet somehow here they are doing the complete opposite with an unanimous top grade. He has 70% FT shooting compared to the 50's of one of the twins too.

Watch on YouTube

Because media also wants to be proven right, and there is nobody who will call them down for own mistakes, so it's much easier to slap As and Bs and have braging rights to be proven- right than opposite. This swing happends in aftermath of Porzingis draft hate that had spectacular backfire on people who looked like clowns for dissing him. People tend to remember who was ultra low and proven wrong, than being ultra low and proven right. To this date you have clips of dummies hating on Luka pre draft. Nobody really shows clips of people who were high on him ( or i don't know, ultra low on Biyombo and proven right).

For last several years ,most post draft grades are usually high. I went back to see grades for 2018,2019,2020 and 2021 . It's usually bunch of As and Bs.

For example we got A+ for Bamba by CBSports

For 2021 as draft houl, CBSports gave nobody but Kings grade below B ( other than Bucks and somebody else without first round pick, but that's grading draft based on some random 56th pick ).

It's strategic overhype imo.

They have to sell hope for the fans, otherwise people won't sell out season tickets.

that's not going to be a problem, we got paolo and franz for that....now we have more pieces that can help.....and mind you that would've been anyone else we would've drafted at #6

[zaymon]

I am aware of Black deficiences, he is not perfect, but for me he was 3rd best prospect. I dont get Scoot and Thompsons hype.
Now we should trade some of our guards and i cant wait. In theory Fultz and Suggs should be on a hot seat although i could envision Black/Suggs terror lineup if Suggs takes another step offensively. More propably Black will take Suggs connector role.

[SOUL]

I am aware of Black deficiences, he is not perfect, but for me he was 3rd best prospect. I dont get Scoot and Thompsons hype.
Now we should trade some of our guards and i cant wait. In theory Fultz and Suggs should be on a hot seat although i could envision Black/Suggs terror lineup if Suggs takes another step offensively. More propably Black will take Suggs connector role.

Tbh the biggest measure of our future is how great Banchero/Franz become. A lot of great teams have 4-6 big time connector pieces and role guys who do what they need to do and do it well. We gotta be careful in terms of balancing enough shooting via trade/FA, considering internal improvement in shooting while also not trying to have an insane viewpoint of all 5 starters having to be great at everything and overcompensating on shooters who provide little else value when they're off.

[SOUL]

Watch on YouTube

[pepe1991]

This was far and away the best thing I have heard about our new addition Anthony Black. Like I need to take a step back and re-think it when media analysts would have 10 times out of 10 bashed the Magic for picking yet another non-shooter and yet somehow here they are doing the complete opposite with an unanimous top grade. He has 70% FT shooting compared to the 50's of one of the twins too.

Watch on YouTube

Because media also wants to be proven right, and there is nobody who will call them down for own mistakes, so it's much easier to slap As and Bs and have braging rights to be proven- right than opposite. This swing happends in aftermath of Porzingis draft hate that had spectacular backfire on people who looked like clowns for dissing him. People tend to remember who was ultra low and proven wrong, than being ultra low and proven right. To this date you have clips of dummies hating on Luka pre draft. Nobody really shows clips of people who were high on him ( or i don't know, ultra low on Biyombo and proven right).

For last several years ,most post draft grades are usually high. I went back to see grades for 2018,2019,2020 and 2021 . It's usually bunch of As and Bs.

For example we got A+ for Bamba by CBSports

For 2021 as draft houl, CBSports gave nobody but Kings grade below B ( other than Bucks and somebody else without first round pick, but that's grading draft based on some random 56th pick ).

It's strategic overhype imo.

They have to sell hope for the fans, otherwise people won't sell out season tickets.

Execlly. Draft is about selling illusion. All parties are involved into it because all have direct benefits from it.
Media gets bigger fan traction.
Sponsors get new faces to sell products after signing new deals.
NBA teams get free publicity + boosted merch selling
Fans get shiny new toy from store.

it's well oiled machine. Even when draft sucks they still spin life out of it to sell BS. For crying out loud, 2013 draft was mockery how bad it was, and they had balls to sell Oladipo as "Wade with 3 point shot".

[Ralof]

I feel bad if these kids are on Twitter lol.. just Magic fans trashing him..

is that really what's going on? that's so unfortunate....place can be a cesspool

I mean.. here, reddit, Facebook I'm sure.. I guess I just approach sports differently. If you're on my team, I'm supporting you. Give you a few years.. if it don't work out, I'll want you traded but I'm not disparaging them publicly or talking **** to them.. weird stuff to me

You are not from Europe,aren't you?

[pepe1991]

is that really what's going on? that's so unfortunate....place can be a cesspool

I mean.. here, reddit, Facebook I'm sure.. I guess I just approach sports differently. If you're on my team, I'm supporting you. Give you a few years.. if it don't work out, I'll want you traded but I'm not disparaging them publicly or talking **** to them.. weird stuff to me

You are not from Europe,aren't you?

Americans would be amazed to know how much hate we throw on kid's leagues

By the age of 18 they get used to it

When Nurkic played in Europe, one of opposing players called him " baby muslim's redneck"

[Ralof]

I mean.. here, reddit, Facebook I'm sure.. I guess I just approach sports differently. If you're on my team, I'm supporting you. Give you a few years.. if it don't work out, I'll want you traded but I'm not disparaging them publicly or talking **** to them.. weird stuff to me

You are not from Europe,aren't you?

Americans would be amazed to know how much hate we throw on kid's leagues

By the age of 18 they get used to it

When Nurkic played in Europe, one of opposing players called him " baby muslim's redneck"

i am probably the most vanilla supporter at allianz stadium,and i booooed Allegri and De sciglio an amount of times i can not even recall.

yeah sure,give them time,let them work,sure...

[pepe1991]

You are not from Europe,aren't you?

Americans would be amazed to know how much hate we throw on kid's leagues

By the age of 18 they get used to it

When Nurkic played in Europe, one of opposing players called him " baby muslim's redneck"

i am probably the most vanilla supporter at allianz stadium,and i booooed Allegri and De sciglio an amount of times i can not even recall.

yeah sure,give them time,let them work,sure...

i don't like Juventus and i would still boo live life out of Allegri. Guy sucks. You can set team on autopilot and finish top 3 with Juve in Italy

[zaymon]

I am aware of Black deficiences, he is not perfect, but for me he was 3rd best prospect. I dont get Scoot and Thompsons hype.
Now we should trade some of our guards and i cant wait. In theory Fultz and Suggs should be on a hot seat although i could envision Black/Suggs terror lineup if Suggs takes another step offensively. More propably Black will take Suggs connector role.

Tbh the biggest measure of our future is how great Banchero/Franz become. A lot of great teams have 4-6 big time connector pieces and role guys who do what they need to do and do it well. We gotta be careful in terms of balancing enough shooting via trade/FA, considering internal improvement in shooting while also not trying to have an insane viewpoint of all 5 starters having to be great at everything and overcompensating on shooters who provide little else value when they're off.

I think Black has potential as a set shooter. He was 32% spoting up last year. He should also enable more offense going through WCJ.
While its important to surround our forwards with shooters its also important to surround them with defenders.and quick decision makers.

[Ralof]

Btw,i think FO simply going for BPA at #6 and they think is Anthony Black.

They clearly envision him different way many here and also from some scouts.
(they already said in press conference,1-3 who could do a lot of things)

I don't like the pick,but tbh,was there a better prospect on the long range you can advocate for,once Whitmore is basically taken away for anyone?

you can make the case for few others,but they have their weakness as well,both in terms of skills and fit,eventually.

So,the pick could be pretty disappointing for someone,but tbh the real chance to make a splash we lost it at the lottery.
Smells to me really like doncic-trae-jjj draft.

[jezzerinho]

I don't see huge points of comparison between Black and Fultz.

Black has the traits the Magic most need from a PG - pnr initiation ability, floor vision, 3-level scoring (to varying degrees), on-ball defence. He's the table setter for Franz and Paolo that Fultz hasn't proven to be.

He's the best option of those available at 6, imo, both in terms of ceiling and fit. I'd have traded for a vet, I think, but I can't complain with the pick at all.

As I said somewhere else, if Black was a team, he'd be the Magic. He fits the profile to a tee.

[shadrock]

I don't see huge points of comparison between Black and Fultz.

Black has the traits the Magic most need from a PG - pnr initiation ability, floor vision, 3-level scoring (to varying degrees), on-ball defence. He's the table setter for Franz and Paolo that Fultz hasn't proven to be.

He's the best option of those available at 6, imo, both in terms of ceiling and fit. I'd have traded for a vet, I think, but I can't complain with the pick at all.

As I said somewhere else, if Black was a team, he'd be the Magic. He fits the profile to a tee.

A better comp to me is Black and Giddey.

https://www.sportingnews.com/au/amp/nba/news/anthony-black-josh-giddey-2023-nba-draft-prospect/gemayndqyixmnrrnlg1ukhh6

From the article:

In an interview with The Athletic's Shams Charania, Black mentioned Giddey as one of his favorite players to watch and model his game after.

"I hear a lot of (Josh) Giddey. I watched him a lot his rookie year, I was still pretty young at the time. I just liked the way he made reads and he wasn't real sped up. I see a little bit of myself in him," Black told Charania.

He spoke on the advantages of being a big guard, explaining how his size goes hand-in-hand with his cerebral playmaking.

"I think it helps with my reads. I watch a lot of film, so I was watching film from this season and I'm just seeing some of the reads I'm making, I'm looking straight, and there's a defender but he's not tall enough to block (my vision)," Black said.

"I can read the back line of the defense a lot easier than a smaller guard who could be guarded by somebody with some length and disrupt the passing lanes."

In my scouting report for Giddey going into the 2021 NBA Draft, I wrote almost verbatim of his advantage as a passer: "As a 6-foot-8 point guard, his height allows him to see and make some plays over the top of the defense that smaller players at his position can't."

And the similarities go well beyond that.

While Giddey is an inch taller, they both have even wingspans to their height. They're both renowned playmakers who see passing lanes, cutters and shooters that most players can't — and they both deliver on-target dimes when they find those opportunities.

Also, watch Giddey's Hoops INtellect draft vid and tell me its not like watching Blacks draft vid, in particular the weaknesses.

Watch on YouTube

If Black turns into something close to Giddey, this is a great pick.

[Skin]

Teams will absolutely hate playing The Magic when they roll out a Black/Suggs back court. I’ll bet if they both play healthy minutes they combined get to the top in steals.

Goes 2 ways. They could LOVE it. That is easily the worst shooting backcourt in the league.