[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2023 draft prospects from Sports Business Class alumni.]

Anthony Black
Frame: 6’7″ 195lbs
Position: Guard
Team: Arkansas
Year: Freshman
2023 Draft Age: 19
Stats via sports-reference.com

Offense

The biggest strength in Black’s game is his ability to facilitate the offense. He’s a patient floor general who plays a control and poise rare for a ball handler his age. Black utilizes his size to put defenders on his hip to see the floor and let opportunities materialize. He thrives at keeping his dribble alive in pick-and-roll situations, finding his big man rolling to the rim or shooters on the wings. Black can hit targets with cross-court passes with his right hand and does a great job finding open-cutters. He loves to push the ball ahead in transition as well.

Black also excels as a slasher; despite not possessing an advanced handle. He uses his change of pace and size to get to the basket seemingly at will. Black is a polished finisher with either hand and adjusts well to defenders in mid-air, finishing through contact. He’s shooting 66 percent at the rim (through 11 games) while only being assisted on 45.5 percent of his attempts, per barttovik.com. Black also takes advantage of his rim pressure by finding teammates on the perimeter for open shots or dumping the ball to his big in the dunker’s spot.

Black can sometimes be too unselfish, passing up open looks or lanes to the rim. He has a nice-looking shot, converting 39.3 percent on 2.5 attempts a game from three-point range. Black has proper hand placement, and his release is high, albeit a bit slow. The Razorbacks would benefit if Black looked for his shot more consistently, both at the rim and behind the arc.

Defense

Black is a quality point-of-attack defender. His lower body strength allows him to absorb contact from ball handlers and maintain his balance. He does a solid job getting around screens and uses his length to deter players from pulling up with him behind them. He can be attacked in isolation when guarding a shiftier player, as his footspeed could be better, which can cause him to pick up bad fouls, using his hands to try and get back into the play.

As a help defender, Black is capable when one to two passes away, thriving at deflecting pass attempts and garnering steals this close. He is good at staying with his man when operating on the strong side but shaky when on the weak side. He is prone to ball-watching and struggles to navigate through off-ball actions, which can lead to his man getting open looks on the perimeter. Black has shown some upside as a rim protector, having a couple of highlight reel plays anticipating an attempt at the rim from the weak side and swatting the shot attempt. This could be a part of his game in the future.

Looking Ahead

With his versatile skill set at 6’7″, it is hard to envision Black not being a 10-year pro. His ability to initiate offense effectively and play off others will be valuable at the next level. Adding adequate floor spacing and defense only further bolsters his repertoire. His ceiling isn’t amongst the highest in this class, as the inability to break down defenders with a subpar handle and lack of burst off the dribble will hinder his effectiveness as an on-ball creator. He’s not flawless, with a slow release and a lack of aggressiveness in his shot. It’s certainly something to monitor both now and at the next level. Defensively there is a ceiling, given his athletic limitations. He may not have tremendous upside, but Black projects as a quality rotation player.