Arkansas guard Anthony Black is declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft after emerging as one of the nation’s top freshmen during the 2022-23 season, he announced on ESPN Wednesday. Black earned SEC-All Freshman honors while helping guide the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 as part of a loaded recruiting class that ranked No. 2 nationally.
At 6-foot-7, Richardson shined on both ends of the floor, leading Arkansas in assists and steals while ranking second in points per game at 12.8. Though his 30.1% 3-point shooting mark will need to improve at the next level, Black demonstrated excellent instincts and intangibles for a young player thrust into a key role for a high-level program.
Black made his talent apparent early with back-to-back 26-point games during the Maui Invitational in November against Louisville and Creighton. While his scoring ebbed and flowed over the season, his playmaking ability and defensive productivity helped sustain the Razorbacks during an up-and-down season.
He finished with multiple steals in 24 of 36 games and recorded multiple assists on 30 occasions while rating as Arkansas’ most efficient all-around player, according to evanmiya.com. Black also demonstrated a knack for getting to the free-throw line, which was a big help for an Arkansas team that struggled offensively in half-court sets.
Anthony Black’s NBA Draft projection
Black’s excellent positional size makes him one of the most appealing point guard prospects in the draft class. At 6-foot-7, he can see over defenders and use his length to initiate the offense. He’s also a dogged defender capable of defending multiple positions. Though Black’s outside shot needs to improve, he proved to be efficient in attacking the basket and showed the body control necessary to hit floaters and score in transition.
Black ranks No. 10 in the 2023 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings from CBS Sports. He landed at No. 10 in a recent mock draft from…
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