NBA Draft: Anthony Black is the Top Point Guard Option Following Scoot Henderson
Only one team will walk away with highly-touted point guard prospect Scoot Henderson. But there are a number of teams in need of a lead guard handler, and Arkansas guard Anthony Black would be an extremely strong consolation prize.
At 6-foot-7 with anticipatory feel on both ends of the court, Black is the next in line of jumbo point guards with high passing feel and a do-it-all-type game that feels easily translatable to the NBA.
Averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game for the Razorbacks, Black played his way into the lottery with stout perimeter defense and strong playmaking, unselfishness and creative passing and a knack for seeing the ball through the hoop with improvisational scoring.
While he’s not going to be a premier off-ball scorer due to less-than-ideal shooting numbers, he’s sure to add plenty of value as a primary handler, even for teams looks as high as the top-five.
Houston fell to fourth overall with a disappointing lottery result, and Black might not be the flashy pick they desire, but his defensive-minded and pass-first fit next to Jalen Green in the Rockets’ backcourt would be undeniably good for the pair. They could potentially trade back out of their slot and back into a better value spot for the Arkansas product.
Orlando, whose forward-driven squad is only a few pieces away from making noise in the Eastern Conference, is also in need of a point guard and holds the sixth pick. If they address spacing with the eleventh pick, Black could be a solid addition to a team that appears ready to win games sooner rather than later.
Other teams in need of lead guard help appear to be Washington and Utah, who own the eighth and ninth picks, respectively.
Whoever comes away with Black on draft night 2023 is sure to have their versatile, jumbo guard of the future.
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