Anthony Black - Arkansas

[LofJ]

Anthony Black also played football in HS as a wide receiver. And his Dad is in the Baylor Hall of Fame and played basketball professionally overseas. It's no wonder why he has a high basketball IQ.

Other than his mediocre shooting percentages he doesn't have any weaknesses. He easily has one of the highest floors in this draft.

[clyde21]

i don't understand what people don't get about Black

he might be the best two-way prospect in the entire class not named Wemby, who can defend 3 positions, highest BBIQ in the class possibly, who also happens to be one of the best playmaking prospects we've seen recently, in a 6-6 package with ++ athleticism.

people are gonna overthink this one just like they did with Haliburton, it's hilarious how this stuff continues to repeat itself.

[mattao313]

See him in that same tier with jarace walker and hendericks. Super role players I don't think he has enough wiggle to his game and can't shoot either.

If he can learn to shoot I can see him as a Derrick white type of player.

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[Hal14]

I think there is a slight chance if someone blows up in workouts that we aren't expecting. I have him solidly in the top 9. Was very high on him coming into Arkansas and had him #3 to start the season, but have him in that 7-9 range, now. Honestly not sure Dallas would be the best fit, think Cason Wallace would be a better one there.

After Bane and Maxey, I'd hate it if they a Dallas product is available and they miss on him.

I don't think you take Wallace over Black, but assuming Black isn't available, I think Wallace gets maximized in Dallas b/c he is a very good fit, where there is a chance Black wouldn't. That said, I think he is smart enough on the court to fit well with any team, I absolutely love watching him play.

You could absolutely take Wallace over Black.

The 2 of them are pretty debatable, imo.

Overall, pretty similar players. Black is 4" taller which definitely helps. But Cason is a much better shooter.

Black I'd say makes some more advanced passing reads, a little bit quicker processing speed as a play maker. But Cason is better about taking care of the ball

Both are really good defenders, who at times can get beat off the dribble by really quick guards.

Black a little better in terms of screen navigation, but idk - some of Cason's issues defending PnR could be attributed to the big man he was defending screens with (usually Oscar). And of course, as we know Kentucky guards often times are better than they appear to be at Kentucky - the way Calipari uses them doesn't show them in the best light which bodes well for cason.

So overall, I think it's pretty close. I have Cason ranked 1 spot higher. The shooting (both spotting up and being able to hit shots off the dribble, coming off screens to keep defenses honest so the defender doesn't just keep sagging off and daring him to shoot) tips the scales slightly in Cason's favor for me.

Cason's ability to shoot, allows him to be a guy who can play on ball or off ball. He can run the show as the PG, or play alongside another talented PG (who's possibly more dynamic as a shot creator, rim pressure guy).

Black on the other hand, you can't play him off ball. So you gotta make him a PG. But how many teams in the league would start him at PG? Especially with his struggles shooting the ball (to keep defenses honest in the PnR) paired with the struggles he sometimes has taking care of the ball and handling it vs tough defensive pressure.

[clyde21]

After Bane and Maxey, I'd hate it if they a Dallas product is available and they miss on him.

I don't think you take Wallace over Black, but assuming Black isn't available, I think Wallace gets maximized in Dallas b/c he is a very good fit, where there is a chance Black wouldn't. That said, I think he is smart enough on the court to fit well with any team, I absolutely love watching him play.

Black on the other hand, you can't play him off ball. So you gotta make him a PG. But how many teams in the league would start him at PG? Especially with his struggles shooting the ball (to keep defenses honest in the PnR) paired with the struggles he sometimes has taking care of the ball and handling it vs tough defensive pressure.

ofc you can play AB off ball, Arkansas played him off ball quite a bit when Nick Smith Jr. was not injured, same when they put Devo Davis on the ball, you just won't see it often because Black will almost always be the best playmaker on his team.

[babyjax13]

I don't think you take Wallace over Black, but assuming Black isn't available, I think Wallace gets maximized in Dallas b/c he is a very good fit, where there is a chance Black wouldn't. That said, I think he is smart enough on the court to fit well with any team, I absolutely love watching him play.

Black on the other hand, you can't play him off ball. So you gotta make him a PG. But how many teams in the league would start him at PG? Especially with his struggles shooting the ball (to keep defenses honest in the PnR) paired with the struggles he sometimes has taking care of the ball and handling it vs tough defensive pressure.

ofc you can play AB off ball, Arkansas played him off ball quite a bit when Nick Smith Jr. was not injured, same when they put Devo Davis on the ball, you just won't see it often because Black will almost always be the best playmaker on his team.

Yah, I think Black is very "Lonzo Ball" in that regard, and the jumper probably comes along over time.

[Village Idiot]

If only he could shoot... Black seems like a high level role player who will help to win a lot of games but his one weakness is the most important one in my opinion. In the NBA the inability to hit a three pointer at a high rate is really going to limit his team's ability to contend since one you get to the playoffs he'll get treated like Ben Simmons.

What makes Black better than a BAE level player like Justise Winslow, another guy with the same tools who never developed a jumper?

[Hal14]

If only he could shoot... Black seems like a high level role player who will help to win a lot of games but his one weakness is the most important one in my opinion. In the NBA the inability to hit a three pointer at a high rate is really going to limit his team's ability to contend since one you get to the playoffs he'll get treated like Ben Simmons.

What makes Black better than a BAE level player like Justise Winslow, another guy with the same tools who never developed a jumper?

Black is closer to Josh Giddey and Ben Simmons than Justice Winslow.

And Simmons was an all-NBA player, before injuries and before he stopped caring about basketball. Giddey is one of the top 5 or 6 players from his draft class.

[SeattleJazzFan]

Anthony Black also played football in HS as a wide receiver. And his Dad is in the Baylor Hall of Fame and played basketball professionally overseas. It's no wonder why he has a high basketball IQ.

Other than his mediocre shooting percentages he doesn't have any weaknesses. He easily has one of the highest floors in this draft.

struggles to get his jumper off with a low/slow release and little elevation, has very little mid-range game and was below average creating his own offense. don't get me wrong, I really like black and would be thrilled if the jazz were to walk away with him at 9, but he absolutely has weaknesses beyond just his bad 3pt shooting. there is a reason he only averaged an inefficient 12 ppg.

[SeattleJazzFan]

Black on the other hand, you can't play him off ball. So you gotta make him a PG. But how many teams in the league would start him at PG? Especially with his struggles shooting the ball (to keep defenses honest in the PnR) paired with the struggles he sometimes has taking care of the ball and handling it vs tough defensive pressure.

ofc you can play AB off ball, Arkansas played him off ball quite a bit when Nick Smith Jr. was not injured, same when they put Devo Davis on the ball, you just won't see it often because Black will almost always be the best playmaker on his team.

Yah, I think Black is very "Lonzo Ball" in that regard, and the jumper probably comes along over time.

lonzo ball shot 41% from three on 5 attempts per game at ucla. black shot 30% on 2 attempts. he's not even close ball at the same stage as a shooter - Ball had range and could get his shot.

[babyjax13]

ofc you can play AB off ball, Arkansas played him off ball quite a bit when Nick Smith Jr. was not injured, same when they put Devo Davis on the ball, you just won't see it often because Black will almost always be the best playmaker on his team.

Yah, I think Black is very "Lonzo Ball" in that regard, and the jumper probably comes along over time.

lonzo ball shot 41% from three on 5 attempts per game at ucla. black shot 30% on 2 attempts. he's not even close ball at the same stage as a shooter - Ball had range and could get his shot.

Ball had a jumper that needed to be reconstructed because it couldn't reliably extend to three. He spent two years doing that. Sometimes college percentages don't mean much, that was the case with Lonzos 3 point shooting

[JMAC3]

He will be solid, but at 3 in this draft? No way.
He could be Cody/Caleb Martin player.
I don't think you are pissed if that is the case at 8, but yeah if he is a super role player at 3 that is Otto Porter Level bad.

[CptCrunch]

I have been thinking about Anthony Black on my commute.

I'm actually so close to moving Black to #2 on my big board possibly before Scoot and Miller.

Partly just to make a bold call on an prospect I truly believe to be special and underrated.

I think Black is the best PG prospect we've really seen in a while. Severely underrated by all analysts.

[clyde21]

I have been thinking about Anthony Black on my commute.

I'm actually so close to moving Black to #2 on my big board possibly before Scoot and Miller.

Partly just to make a bold call on an prospect I truly believe to be special and underrated.

I think Black is the best PG prospect we've really seen in a while. Severely underrated by all analysts.

#3 and in T2 with Scoot for me, in a vacuum tho I'm taking Scoot, Black is missing a mid range game right now to balance his attack otherwise i might have him #2 myself

agreed that he's severely underrated by all accounts, he's essentially what Lonzo Ball could've been without all the injuries, maybe even better.

[BostonCouchGM]

#8 to the Wizards is really the highest he should go. #9 to Utah would be a good landing spot for him as well. Both places he'd have no pressure and he could develop nicely his first few seasons. He's nowhere near a top tier PG prospect like Scoot or Lonzo and probably not even the next tier tbh but it's a weak draft and the Wizards and Jazz both need a PG. Ainge doesn't mind shooting issues remember.

[Hal14]

I have been thinking about Anthony Black on my commute.

I'm actually so close to moving Black to #2 on my big board possibly before Scoot and Miller.

Partly just to make a bold call on an prospect I truly believe to be special and underrated.

I think Black is the best PG prospect we've really seen in a while. Severely underrated by all analysts.

#3 and in T2 with Scoot for me, in a vacuum tho I'm taking Scoot, Black is missing a mid range game right now to balance his attack otherwise i might have him #2 myself

agreed that he's severely underrated by all accounts, he's essentially what Lonzo Ball could've been without all the injuries, maybe even better.

Black is missing a mid range game and a 3 pt game too.

His handle needs some work in order to be a reliable PG vs tough NBA defenders (had turnover issues in college, got the ball stripped from when when bringing the ball up quite a few times), and Black also got beat off the dribble by quicker guards quite a few times.

His athleticism is good but not great.

Lonzo Ball could actually shoot.

Look, I like Black. He's a lottery pick. I have him ranked 11 at the moment. But I'm just not as high on him as you are, apparently..

[zzaj]

i don't understand what people don't get about Black

he might be the best two-way prospect in the entire class not named Wemby, who can defend 3 positions, highest BBIQ in the class possibly, who also happens to be one of the best playmaking prospects we've seen recently, in a 6-6 package with ++ athleticism.

people are gonna overthink this one just like they did with Haliburton, it's hilarious how this stuff continues to repeat itself.

So...
I held off because I didn't really get to watch him during the season. But today and tomorrow I'm going through games. I'll say I was a skeptic because I'm hard on passing/non-shooting types...but after going through about 5 games today. Holy hell...Black will be the steal of this draft. His ability to play one or two steps ahead on both sides of the ball is elite--better than I've seen in a few years. Absolutely elite upload speed. Seriously, his ability to misdirect defenses and make the exact right pass is something else. And yeah, instant defensive switchability 1-3, and I'd even throw stretch 4s in there.

As for his shooting? His whole shot is a bit slow and stiff, and his footwork needs help...but I feel like if he gets his base together, on C&S that alone is going to give him avenues into the paint. If he's able to learn to consistently gather and knock down shots when defenders go under screens on him, that'd open up things even more. He's got a bit of a floater--I've seen that a couple of times.

All in all, if I'm Portland and Miller goes to Charlotte? I'm thinking long and hard about #3. Black and Sharpe next to each other would be fun basketball.

[babyjax13]

I think the only thing Derrick White is clearly better at than Black *right now* is shooting. If there are differences anywhere else they are pretty narrow and I expect that Black surpasses him in those areas pretty quick. Black is also a much better playmaker. I'm not sure he has outlier vision, but it is pretty close. I do question the mechanics of the shot, but I think NBA spacing will help his finishing a lot. I am begging for him to drop to the Jazz at 9. Not quite as high on him as Clyde, but I had him 3rd to start the year and I am debating between him and Cam Whitmore at 5 on my big board.

[big-shot-ROB]

I think the only thing Derrick White is clearly better at than Black *right now* is shooting. If there are differences anywhere else they are pretty narrow and I expect that Black surpasses him in those areas pretty quick. Black is also a much better playmaker. I'm not sure he has outlier vision, but it is pretty close. I do question the mechanics of the shot, but I think NBA spacing will help his finishing a lot. I am begging for him to drop to the Jazz at 9. Not quite as high on him as Clyde, but I had him 3rd to start the year and I am debating between him and Cam Whitmore at 5 on my big board.

White is also clearly better as a defender given the sample size we have. White is also better at finishing everywhere on the floor, specially in the rim.
Can't help but laugh every year when every prospect is a "better X". Chances are it's probably not.

[juanc]

I have been thinking about Anthony Black on my commute.

I'm actually so close to moving Black to #2 on my big board possibly before Scoot and Miller.

Partly just to make a bold call on an prospect I truly believe to be special and underrated.

I think Black is the best PG prospect we've really seen in a while. Severely underrated by all analysts.

#3 and in T2 with Scoot for me, in a vacuum tho I'm taking Scoot, Black is missing a mid range game right now to balance his attack otherwise i might have him #2 myself

agreed that he's severely underrated by all accounts, he's essentially what Lonzo Ball could've been without all the injuries, maybe even better.

Black is missing a mid range game and a 3 pt game too.

His handle needs some work in order to be a reliable PG vs tough NBA defenders (had turnover issues in college, got the ball stripped from when when bringing the ball up quite a few times), and Black also got beat off the dribble by quicker guards quite a few times.

His athleticism is good but not great.

Lonzo Ball could actually shoot.

Look, I like Black. He's a lottery pick. I have him ranked 11 at the moment. But I'm just not as high on him as you are, apparently..

He suffers from the same thing as Jaden Hardy did IMO. A team that is just a poor fit for him. Once he gets some shooters around him, he'll be a beast.