The NBA draft lottery will decide the order for the 14 teams outside the playoff picture on June 22 but the names that could enter the draft this year are already out in the media. In this series, the ESPN media projected Anthony Black of Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 8.
Who Is Anthony Black?
Anthony Black has been playing basketball since his college days and this 6-feet 7-point guard has received wide acclaim for helping the No. seed Arkansas defeat the No. 1 Kansas. It is only with his score that his team was able to make it into the NCAA tournament Sweet 16. It was the best performance of Black in Arkansas jersey. He posted 20 points, 5 steals, and 4 rebounds to push his team through the game.
ESPN considers him a serious contender for the drat due to his 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game this season. Also, Black played more minutes than his counterpart in college basketball. Today this 6-foot 7-point guard stands tall as one of the best defenders in the draft class.
What Did Anthony Black Say On His Projection For NBA Draft?
An elated Black first said that he thanked God and all the coaches who helped him from when he started playing AAU, through high school and college, including Coach Eric Musselman. He also thanked his teammates and family for supporting him and being his biggest fan.
On draft projection, he said that being one and done was always a goal of his, but it wasn’t something he necessarily expected to happen. He further maintained that he was focused on winning games and getting better, knowing the rest would take care of itself.
He further said that he deserved to be drafted high, but regardless he was more ready to just work. There were a lot of dudes who got drafted high and didn’t do well in the league. The work players put in and how they produce were far more important than where they got picked.
Why Did Anthony Black Choose To Be A Defender?
Anthony Black said that defense was something he was always super passionate about. That came from him being competitive. Wanting to win took pride in his matchups and didn’t get scored on. That was the first thing the coaches taught him at Arkansas; defensive principles, having a head on a swivel, helping teammates, and learning how to affect the game off the ball.
How Was Black’s Performance In Arkansas?
For Arkansas, Black played both on and off the ball displaying unparalleled pace and aggressiveness needed to outsmart their counterparts. His performance in the recent series made him stand out but he seriously needs to work on his shots. He took 45.3% of shots from the field but only 30.1% of shots from beyond the three-point arc. He needs to improve as a shooter to boost his NBA draft projection.
What Anthony Black Commented On His Performance?
Anthony Black said that in some games the team needed him scoring, and at other times his role was to get others going. Switching up roles was pretty easy for him depending on who was hot. He was happy to do whatever they needed to win games. He felt like he can impact the game on or off the ball.
Black was in the eye of the media since last summer when he helped USA Basketball win a gold medal at the FIBA Americas U18 championship. But the media started him projecting as a potential NBA draft after seeing his game in the Maui Invitational in late November. He scored 26-point, 6-assist performances against Louisville and Creighton.
It was an amazing performance given before a huge crowd cheering for Black. The dozens of NBA executives sitting in the audience confirmed his NBA draft more firmly.
What Is The Football Connection Of Anthony Black?
Anthony Black comes from a family of athletes. His parents were collegiate athletes at Baylor. His father was a member of the basketball team and his mother played soccer. Black was a promising student and player since his school days. He received 15 scholarship offers and competed in different events including high jump, long jump, triple jump, and basketball. It wasn’t until his senior year that he was committed to basketball.
Anthony Black said that he had offers for football before basketball. Coming from a family of athletes helped him develop a competitive spirit from a young age. He learned a lot about playing with toughness and physicality on the football field. The track helped him get faster and quicker, as well as with conditioning. Every sport helped him in basketball in a different way.
What Are The Potential Dates Of The NBA Draft?
The NBA draft combine will be held from May 15-21 in Chicago, and the draft will be on June 22 in New York City.
