Anthony Black – Slightly rising
With the inconsistencies of Nick Smith Jr., it was Anthony Black that was more of the standout freshman for Arkansas this season. And with his play throughout his freshman season, Anthony Black has gotten to the point where he could be considered to be a top 10 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. And he had a couple of solid performances in the NCAA Tournament, including a 20-point performance in the team’s final game of the season, that could end up solidifying that.
Black is a big guard that will have some real versatility in his game when he makes the leap to the NBA level and that may end up being the best attribute about his raw game that many draft evaluators like. The biggest question about Black is whether or not he can be a consistent shooter at the next level. And while he may not have answered that question completely with his NCAA Tournament performance, he did show some flashes of potential on that front.
Black is still a prospect that has some work to do in selling himself as a top-10 pick but I believe it’s a realistic possibility now.